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Weather Software => Virtual Weather Station => ImageSalsa/MovieSalsa => Topic started by: Davidb on December 28, 2011, 12:55:36 PM

Title: how to switch off computer after 3 hours running?
Post by: Davidb on December 28, 2011, 12:55:36 PM

Hello,

I have recently set an old PC up with Image and Movie Salsa to record images from a camera watching progress on a building site.  Not exactly a weather cam.

I want to make a time - lapse video over a long period ( maybe 12 months)

To avoid the computer running 24/7   ( noisy, power wasting etc )  I have got the Bios to start it every day at 7am which is working fine.

Now I need to figure out how to stop it if nothing moves or at a set time, eg  midday.

I am running Startwatch and Winpatrol to keep things going.

What programme could I  use to shut the PC down correctly?

David

Title: Re: how to switch off computer after 3 hours running?
Post by: Bushman on December 28, 2011, 02:51:22 PM

You can switch a PC on events with TOFF software from www.dennisbabkin.com

Title: Re: how to switch off computer after 3 hours running?
Post by: miraculon on December 28, 2011, 03:07:24 PM

You could schedule shutdown.exe to run. There are instructions on how to use the Windows scheduler to do this at:

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/schedule-a-restart-operation-with-windows-xps-shutdown-utility/6086387 (http://www.techrepublic.com/article/schedule-a-restart-operation-with-windows-xps-shutdown-utility/6086387)

This would allow a shutdown at a specific time.

You could also use the -t option set to 3 hours (10,800 seconds) with shutdown.exe -s -t 10800 run with a batch file at start-up.

shutdown.exe /? gives the options. (Win 7 shows /s /t but -s -t works too)

Greg

Title: Re: how to switch off computer after 3 hours running?
Post by: Davidb on December 28, 2011, 04:34:30 PM

Thanks both for the advice,  I have installed the TOFF software, will see how it goes.

David

Title: Re: how to switch off computer after 3 hours running?
Post by: Davidb on December 29, 2011, 05:01:26 PM

well it did stop, but started again, so I have changed it from soft shutdown to " hard shutdown"

see what happens tomorrow, it looks a very useful programme, I hope it works,  David

Title: Re: how to switch off computer after 3 hours running?
Post by: Davidb on December 30, 2011, 08:59:50 AM

The problem was that winpatrol had blocked it so I think we are sorted now.