Application To Automatically Reopen Another Application When It Is Closed

[FN-GM]

Hello,

 

We have some computers that are a kiosk. They automatically open a browser on startup. However, the user closes the browser when they have finished and it has caused confusion for those who aren't very good with computers.

 

I have seen an application in the past, you prefix the application .exe in a shortcut (in our case a browser link that is in the startup folder to auto launch). When it is ran it opens as normal. But when the browser is closed it will automatically reopen.

 

Can anyone remind me of this application please? If not maybe someone can suggest an alternative please?

 

Thanks

Edited September 16, 2022 by FN-GM

[dhicks]

We have some computers that are a kiosk.

 

Using Chrome as a browser? It does have a proper "kiosk" option you can use at the command line ("--kiosk", I think). Also, "app" mode ("--app") is often quite handy.

 

Can anyone remind me of this application please?

 

Would a simple batch file do it?:

 

:start
chrome --kiosk --app https://domain.goes.here/url/goes/here.html
goto start

[FN-GM]

Using Chrome as a browser? It does have a proper "kiosk" option you can use at the command line ("--kiosk", I think). Also, "app" mode ("--app") is often quite handy.

 

 

 

Would a simple batch file do it?:

 

:start
chrome --kiosk --app https://domain.goes.here/url/goes/here.html
goto start

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

It's Edge but it should work? I will try it out. I believe this is similar to the current setup "chrome --kiosk --app https://domain.goes.here/url/goes/here.html".

 

However, this is an example of many. We do have others that aren't browser based so it wouldn't work with them.

Edited September 16, 2022 by FN-GM

[andy_b]

Windows 10 / 11 can do Edge in single app mode and then they can't close it ?

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/kiosk-single-app

[FN-GM]

 

It's Edge but it should work? I will try it out.

 

I just gave it a go in Edge. But it keeps re-opening multiple tabs.

 

This seem to work though

 

msedge.exe --kiosk http://www.contoso.com --edge-kiosk-type=fullscreen

 

 

Cheers

 

EDIT: Correction.

Edited September 16, 2022 by FN-GM

[FN-GM]

Windows 10 / 11 can do Edge in single app mode and then they can't close it ?

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/kiosk-single-app

 

We would like to get back to the begging when they have finished. If they can't close it would it be stuck on page of the last visitor?

 

Plus we still need something for applications that aren't browser based.

 

EDIT: with Edge, I have figured out how to restart back to the begging when idle so that should work. But the original question still stands as I need to address this for non browser based apps. The script in post 2 (Thanks @dhicks !) works but we can see the command line. Maybe there is a way to hide this?

Edited September 16, 2022 by FN-GM

[LeMarchand]

we can see the command line. Maybe there is a way to hide this?

 

Various methods here: https://www.robvanderwoude.com/battech_hideconsole.php

[andy_b]

You could do some fancy things with Autohotkey.

 

The simplest would be:

 

#Persistent

Loop {

RunWait %windir%\system32\notepad.exe

}

[dhicks]

The script in post 2 (Thanks @dhicks !) works but we can see the command line. Maybe there is a way to hide this?

 

Pretty much any programming language will give you a way to do an infinite loop and run an application, you just want something that compiles to a Windows executable. A quick Google for "batch file compiler" brings up some options, or if you want a general-purpose tool for compiling handy scripts for automating various Windows stuff then AutoIt is very good:

 

https://www.autoitscript.com/site/

[chazzy2501]

Windows Pro has a KIOSK mode, just use that.... is this now called single app mode?

[dhicks]

Plus we still need something for applications that aren't browser based.

 

Do you mean you need something that keeps a number of applications running, and if any one of them closes it gets re-opened?

[FN-GM]

Do you mean you need something that keeps a number of applications running, and if any one of them closes it gets re-opened?

 

Hello,

 

It’s just 1 application. We want it open all the time. If the user closes said application it will automatically reopen.

 

Thanks.