run multiple programs

[AmarSingh]

Can i write some sort of script to run two programs when i click on a shortcut? If so, how?

 

[SirLasher]

not real sure but I would think it would depend on what the two programs were.
what are you trying to achieve?

 

[AmarSingh]

im pretty sure that this was possible in 98 (i vagely remember seeing something on tech tv about it)

i need to connect to the newscgroup server for my university, and the only way to do that is through port forwarding. Bottom line is i need to connect to my university's server with a program called secureCRT and then run my news client. It would be cool if i could just click one link and have them both open.

 

[Dublex]

The easiest way to open both programs is to create a batch file that runs both programs when you double click on it. To do that you can do the following:

1. in the run box, type edit prog.bat - or create a desktop shortcut, rename it as a .bat file with a name you want and then right click on the file and select the edit option.

2. once you are editing type something like

c:\[location]\[securecrt filename].exe
c:\[location]\[newsclient filename].exe

3. of course the [location] and [filename] is set to wherever the program is located on your H/D or even on the server if it has been mapped to your computer

of course, if you want to pause between running programs to create a point where you can press return to run the second program you can use

c:\[location]\[securecrt filename].exe
pause
c:\[location]\[newsclient filename].exe

once you have done that, save and exit editing. Now if you double click on the batch file it will run both programs for you. If you want to run it automatically then close the command prompt edit the batch properties so that it automatically closes on finishing the run.

 

[AmarSingh]

just what i was looking for...thanks a lot, but it only seems to open the second program after i close the first one. I found it here also, but it says it doesnt work in xp. Maybe i am doing something wrong?

here is what is in my batch file:

"C:\Program Files\SecureCRT 3.0\SecureCRT.EXE"
"C:\program files\outlook express\msimn.exe"
exit
@echo off
cls

the last bit is to make the command window close

also, is there a switch for making the windows open maximized?