Hey,

Just a little script I wrote.

What it does is this.

It first lauchs a dos box and then hides the dos box so that the user cant close it. Then it lauchs MsgPlus. Then it waits a few secs, four for now. Then it lauchs Msn Messenger. Then when you quit msn messenger it closses MsgPlus.

This way MsgPlus is only running when it needs to be. Almost like a plug in.

I do plan on sharing this ok.

But first I want to ask if anyone is willing to help me with something.

I would like to use a simple installer for it. The user has to provide MsgPlus unless I get permission to include.

Same with MSN Messenger.

Like a simple installer that first dectedts if MsgPlus and MSN Messenger are installed. And if not then it notifies to user and directs them to the download. I would like the use to just click a simple download button that would download both for you and instal them both and then continue.

Then it would continue. It would replace all the shortcuts to my script. Meaning desktop, start menu, and quick launch.

User gets to choose that of course. Dont want to be confussed with adware/spyware junk.

And it places my scipt in the MSN Messenger folder.

And of course the install can uninstall as well

Just a simple little installer would be great if anyone could help me out.

Since I'm just a biggener and dont have a clue were to start.

Anyways its pretty simple script so most if not all of us here can use/setup easy but maybe not everyone who uses msgplus and msn messneger. So i think an installer would be nice for them.

Will proprably release both if someone can help me out.

But yes I will release this even without a installer. Just have to write up a readme tonight. And get all the needs files together.

Thanks a ton,
  Will

I can't do the installer. I haven't got time.
About the script: does it handle properly multiple instances of messenger (polygamy)? does it work with MSN messenger and Windows messenger (both)? When you quit messenger, does it wait a few seconds before closing plus?

quote:

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Originally posted by Choli
I can't do the installer. I haven't got time.
About the script: does it handle properly multiple instances of messenger (polygamy)? does it work with MSN messenger and Windows messenger (both)? When you quit messenger, does it wait a few seconds before closing plus?

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Nice to see you answered "yes" to the 3 quiestions

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Originally posted by war59312
The thing is a ms dos boxes popups and then tells it to shutdown. Cant find a way to hide it.

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Sounds good   Nice idea

Although I dont understand why people cant leave running?  It does no harm

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Originally posted by Wabz
Sounds good   Nice idea

Although I dont understand why people cant leave running?  It does no harm

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quote:

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Originally posted by Choli
Nice to see you answered "yes" to the 3 quiestions

quote:

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Originally posted by war59312
The thing is a ms dos boxes popups and then tells it to shutdown. Cant find a way to hide it.

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mmm... What language did you use? can I see the source?
btw, when you say a script do you mean a script like a vbs?

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can u make the batch file avaible without setup? just for beta?

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Originally posted by Shawnz
can u make the batch file avaible without setup? just for beta?

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In the installer, after I selected a different directory it appends "MSN Messenger" to it. This is wrong beheviour. If a user selects a different directory, then you don't have to add yet another subdirectory. Can you change that...

Doing this in a DOS batch file sounds like (excuse my word) crappy. It could be a nice programming exercise, but if you want to do it right, use vbscript at least. In that way you don't need those external programs you use either. Also, don't put choice.com, consoletool.exe, process.exe in the Windows System32 directory, that' a VERY BAD idea. put it into the directory where you installed your loader!!!!!!!!

Anyway, after looking at the actual batchcode (yes I can ):
* Use " when you change to a directory with long filenames, because like you do it now, this will fail in certain situations.
* Anyway, you don't need to change directories to startup a program. This is only needed if the program NEEDS to be in its own directory. Otherwise, it is a bad idea and bound to have problems. Just put the directory before the actual filename.
* This said, if you don't catch the Plus! path from the registry, there is no way in knowing where it is installed on the users computer. (and thus failing in many situations)
* The use of choice to wait a couple of seconds is nice (never used it that way). Although it is not failproof. If the user presses a key during the wait, choice will think that the user just pressed the wrong key and it will halt the delay and waits until the user presses the right key. In otherwords, the script will never continue...
* Like any other loader/program that attemps to kill the Plus! process, it is doing this in a bad way. I mean, what if I startup 1 Messenger without your loader and 1 with your loader. What if I want Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger running at the same time. What if I use another loader like Jnrz's to load MSN Messenger. What if Msgplus is already started before you use the loader, maybe the user doesn't want you to kill plus then, etc... etc...
It isn't as easy as saying: lets start plus, then messenger, after messenger gots terminated, kill plus. The best method to detect if plus can be killed is to use polling and check if there is no instance left of msn messenger and/or windows messenger. But you can't do that with a batchfile.

Note: I realy don't see why you should hide your code.
1) the user can't change the paths
2) the user doesn't have any control on what's happening
3) the code isn't special at all, just your basic, start this, start that...

Also, read these threads:
http://shoutbox.menthix.net/showthread.php?tid=17884
http://shoutbox.menthix.net/showthread.php?tid=19095
http://shoutbox.menthix.net/showthread.php?tid=21619

PS: some things to improve:
* Catch the installation directory of plus in the registry. (this can be done within a batchfile, although again this isn't a good idea)
* Check if the programs you use (even msgplus.exe and all) actually exist before launching them

I'll send you the corrected batchfile as it is now (without the registry checking and file existance checking). Even though doing this with a batchfile is a bad idea to begin with... sorry...

Hey,

All right cool yea I'm a newbie so dont give a shit. lol

But ok cool yea if u send it to me that would be cool.

Yea I got you, still learning. I will try to do eveything you said.

Even though I don't have a clue about vbscript.

Only reason I did the installer was like u said to include the needs files. Really. So people would not have to download them and then do it.

Um same directory. um yea did not work...cause like u said...i was changing direectories...

did not think it would hurt putting in system32 but ok....i understand..security issue i guess....

thanks man,
  Will

Ok you said:

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* Like any other loader/program that attemps to kill the Plus! process, it is doing this in a bad way. I mean, what if I startup 1 Messenger without your loader and 1 with your loader. What if I want Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger running at the same time. What if I use another loader like Jnrz's to load MSN Messenger. What if Msgplus is already started before you use the loader, maybe the user doesn't want you to kill plus then, etc... etc...
It isn't as easy as saying: lets start plus, then messenger, after messenger gots terminated, kill plus. The best method to detect if plus can be killed is to use polling and check if there is no instance left of msn messenger and/or windows messenger. But you can't do that with a batchfile.

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quote:

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First, Plus! has a built-in mechanism to ensure it loads before Messenger. Just check the command line added in the \run key of the registry (I think it's /WinStart). When launched with this option, Plus! launches Messenger itself (using a reg key generated from the the key Messenger puts itself to auto-start with Windows) after its initialisation is complete.

As for waiting for Messenger to exit before Plus! is unloaded, you don't need too. The only purpose of msgplus.exe is to inject code in Messenger and check from time to time if Plus! is still currently enabled in memory (to display the recovery window if necessary). So basically, you can kill Plus! anytime you want after Messenger has displayed any of its windows.

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quote:

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* The use of choice to wait a couple of seconds is nice (never used it that way). Although it is not failproof. If the user presses a key during the wait, choice will think that the user just pressed the wrong key and it will halt the delay and waits until the user presses the right key. In otherwords, the script will never continue...

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See it works:

* I know, you could kill plus right after it hooked itself...
* I know that plus detects other instances of itself...
* With "killing not the right way" I mean't you don't use "polling" or detecting if Plus! is already loaded or not. Like in the example I gave: what if a user doesn't want you to kill plus. In other words, if plus IS running before the user uses your loader, then don't kill plus with your loader. I didn't mean "just killing the process", cause you do it right. (well actualy that other program does ) It was bad choice of words on my part, sorry...
* Just put all the needed files in the same directory with your loader. Zip the whole bunch. No installer needed realy. Just instructions to unzip everything in the same directory.
* If you look at the VBScript code in one of those threads, you'll get a pretty good idea of how doing things with it. It's very easy. For the things you don't know: www.google.com (and you don't need all those extra files with it.)
* The loader works fine as is. This means if you use it to startup Plus and MSN Messenger; so without the use of skins, other directories, windows messenger, etc...
* The thing I mean with choice is this: CHOICE.COM /CY /TY,4
execute it and press a random key, now the 4-sec delay and auto-select is disabled en choice waits until you press the right key.
* "the way I use it right now is right after msgplus and then msn messenger is load msgplus is then killed...so msgplus is only running for 4secs.. " -> ic, so I take it that you removed the "/w" parameter...

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
* I know, you could kill plus right after it hooked itself...
* I know that plus detects other instances of itself...
* With "killing not the right way" I mean't you don't use "polling" or detecting if Plus! is already loaded or not. Like in the example I gave: what if a user doesn't want you to kill plus. In other words, if plus IS running before the user uses your loader, then don't kill plus with your loader. I didn't mean "just killing the process", cause you do it right. (well actualy that other program does ) It was bad choice of words on my part, sorry...
* Just put all the needed files in the same directory with your loader. Zip the whole bunch. No installer needed realy. Just instructions to unzip everything in the same directory.
* If you look at the VBScript code in one of those threads, you'll get a pretty good idea of how doing things with it. It's very easy. For the things you don't know: www.google.com (and you don't need all those extra files with it.)
* The loader works fine as is. This means if you use it to startup Plus and MSN Messenger; so without the use of skins, other directories, windows messenger, etc...
* The thing I mean with choice is this: CHOICE.COM /CY /TY,4
execute it and press a random key, now the 4-sec delay and auto-select is disabled en choice waits until you press the right key.
* "the way I use it right now is right after msgplus and then msn messenger is load msgplus is then killed...so msgplus is only running for 4secs.. " -> ic, so I take it that you removed the "/w" parameter...

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uhh...

I think this is really a problem on patchou's end. He should make it take less memory, insead of reling on it closing when messenger does. even still, most people leave messenger running 24/7 so it not the greatest program. One of the important factors is that it relys on external programs, which can make it take up much space.

ps. patchou - make plus take less memory, or go idle or something !!!

pps. elite members are so cool

All right thanks guys.

Shawnz,

1) There is no problem at all...
2) Plus! takes a VERY SMALL amount of memory...
3) Plus does idle when Messenger isn't running...

You can't judge the real memory usage of a program by looking into the Task Manager. Furthermore, Plus! doesn't use more then 128kb of memory when it is idling and something about 1Mb when Messenger is running.

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Originally posted by Patchou
I'm sorry to break your bubble (french expression) but you can't estimate the real memory that is taken by an application by checking the Task Manager... Windows is an intelligent operating system that often doesn't take the time to clean objects in memory as long as it's not necessary. As a result, an application can seem to take 20 times the memory it is really taking.

msgplus.exe doesn't do anything at all while it's running on your system, it's kept there for security reasons only. The process doesn't eats more than 128KB of real memory and has been specifically designed with memory constraints in mind (so that Plus! doesn't harm your system in any way and that you don't find excuses to remove it from the Windows startup and complain about other related problems ).

Messenger Plus! uses a noticeable amount of memory only in the Messenger process so you'll probably never be able to do a real estimate of its usage . Don't worry, memory optimization is one of those things I'm spending time on, even if I'm not talking about it. For what I've seen, Plus! uses around 1MB of memory in the Messenger process, which, I think, is ok as Messenger itself generally uses 15MB or more.

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
Shawnz,

1) There is no problem at all...
2) Plus! takes a VERY SMALL amount of memory...
3) Plus does idle when Messenger isn't running...

You can't judge the real memory usage of a program by looking into the Task Manager. Furthermore, Plus! doesn't use more then 128kb of memory when it is idling and something about 1Mb when Messenger is running.

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Well, I love Messenger Plus!, It doesn't hog my CPU neither does it consume too much memory, but I love the fact that you can remove the process and it'll still work, so I wrote this little script, It works with a program called WinX32 (freeware), that runs scripts (no need for a dos box) although you can code the same in a .cmd or .bat but the "pause" is different...and instead of /kill you should use the taskkill command (It's on XP...)

The winx32 script works on all versions of Windows...

; Please change C:\Program Files to your program files directory...
"C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 2\MsgPlus.exe"
/sleep 3
; Three seconds is enough to let MsgPlus load...
"C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe"
; "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnloader.exe"
; The two lines above can be switched if you want to use the JnZloader (place the ; on the correct line)
/sleep 20
; That allows everything to load properly
/kill MsgPlu*
; That's it... winx32 is also unloaded from memory...

tisazalay

shouldent there be a wait tag after msnmsgr.exe?

Be very carefull with this kind of script!!!

Only use it if you are an experienced user and know exactly what you are doing and what is going on and how Plus! works and what it is doing in memory. I say this in general because there could be people using this and then complain that certain things wont work anymore...

(for example MSN Messenger starting automaticly up, then Windows Messenger starts up because you open Outlook for example, then you use this script, things will go wrong... Or if you don't set up Plus correctly (force startup) or if you don't know how to alter the registry (to delete Plus from the run-key))

The script-method (this or any other script) to load/kill Plus! isn't officialy recommended!!!

PS: tisazalay, I'm not saying that the script wont work, because it will work. But I'm saying that not-experienced users shouldn't use this script (or similar ones) at all...

quote:

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Originally posted by Shawnz
shouldent there be a wait tag after msnmsgr.exe?

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quote:

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Originally posted by tisazalay
"C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe"
/sleep 20

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quote:

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Originally posted by Shawnz
shouldent there be a wait tag after msnmsgr.exe?

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quote:

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
Be very carefull with this kind of script!!!

Only use it if you are an experienced user and know exactly what you are doing and what is going on and how Plus! works and what it is doing in memory. I say this in general because there could be people using this and then complain that certain things wont work anymore...

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quote:

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Originally posted by tisazalay
I use to have that, but it isn't really needed, If you do, you'll pause Winx32 until you exit msn messenger, and without it, you can exit winx32 (saves some cpu cycles) and keep the benefits of running MSN Messenger and Messenger Plus! (like a -plugin-)... If you place the /wait everytime you open MSN Messenger (if you use "Polygamy") you'll add another winx32 process... not good...

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any utilitity like this on executable format?
not script... just a little compiled exe, if it exists

Search the forums... I've seen many scripts like this (at least 4 for as far I can remember), including an executable... but I must warn that all those scripts are highly errr.... experimental.... some are realy dodgy, made by first time "batch programmers", others are a bit better... But the principle is always the same... start msgplus.exe, wait a second, start MSN Messenger....

The best solution so far IMO, is just using a VBS-script... big advantages are that you can easly change some things (in case your path changes from where you start messenger or something, or you need to add a parameter, etc...) and it doesn't need any other interpreter (like winx32) to run because it is a basic default script language from windows...

Heres an exe version i made:

http://shoutbox.menthix.net/attachment.php?pid=203514

and attached is the dev-cpp source for you to make your own.

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
Yes, it is needed!!!! MsgPlus needs time to hook and that takes some time. You don't need to wait 20 seconds, 1 or 2 seconds is also good, but you NEED to wait!!! If winx32 opens another process for doing that, then so be it, or use another interpreter (like the standard VBS-script)...

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oh yes, i guess im very dumb but i just realized messenger plus can be closed after hooking. I never tried this before and just found this out

do you mean to terminate plus exe process after opening messenger?
will plus menu into msn windows be still available?

its a very gd idea, yeah but plus! dosent take up alot of memory and anyway id rather just leave it running becauce its not really alot of memory that it is using!

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Originally posted by provolino
do you mean to terminate plus exe process after opening messenger?
will plus menu into msn windows be still available?

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it could be useful for loaders
if they kill plus process after hooking, they can prevent multiple plus processes in memory if I load messenger with script twice to use poligamy with 2 different msn accounts
it also could solve need for loaders to stay in memory because if plus can be terminated they doesn't need to look for messenger instances and wait the user closes them.

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Originally posted by provolino
if they kill plus process after hooking, they can prevent multiple plus processes in memory if I load messenger with script twice to use poligamy with 2 different msn accounts

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ah ok... I didn't know that