Laptop Shutdown Controller - FINAL - 24OCT09

ThunderStick · 10-03-2009, 04:08 PM

With all the bugs finally worked out and it operating as it should, this is the final release

Works with or with out RR
With RR it will create 2 labels
One label will display battery charge
The other will display Battery status (OK, Not Charging, Critical and so on)

All though this will not re-start your PC, because your PC has to be running in order for this to be working. It will how ever shutdown your PC when specific conditions apply.

You can shutdown when
(1) Power is removed from the PC (battery not charging), with or with out a delay
(2) After a specific software is closed
(3) When battery charge drops to a certain point percentage

RR Labels

$ShutDownCHARGEREMAINING$ = Battery Charge
$ShutDownSTATUS$ = Shutdown Controller Messages and Status

FYI

(1) Shutdown.exe creates files in the folder it resides when executed.
(2) If wanting to start this automatically when your PC starts, create a shortcut to shutdown.exe and copy it to your startup folder.

Current Features (11 OCT 2009)

-Shutdown Dleay
-Windows Tray Menu (displayed with a right or left click on the program icon)
-Shutdown when battery charge reaches a certain point and battery is not charging
-Shutdown after a specified program is closed and the battery is not charging
-Configurable shutdown methods and routines
-Shutdown Immediately or after a delay when battery is no longer charging
-Ride Runner Labels (Battery Charge and Battery Status Message)
-Transparent Pop Up Messages when shutdown sequence begins
-Turn Off Monitor when shutdown sequence begins
-Error Handler and Logger
-Managed RR Label Updates (Prevents over tasking RR with label updates)
-Easy Settings changer

Future Plans

-Possibly more RR interfacing

ADDITIONS
-Request - Run single instance if exe is executed while running. = DONE 10-24

brianteel · 10-03-2009, 04:48 PM

i get a error while trying to install....line-1: error: Variable used without being declared

JohnWPB · 10-03-2009, 04:51 PM

Very Nice! I have often thought about using a laptop for a CarPC as the built in battery gives you a lot of options for when the power to the ignition is cut.

This way, when you turn the car off, you can have the CarPC go into standby, and off the internal battery alone (No draining the car battery) will maintain the standby for a good number of hours. My Dell laptop will remain in standby for around 10-12 hours till the battery goes dead. The nice thing is you can set windows to go into hibernation at 10% power, and this will work even when the computer is in standby mode.

I have also thought of a "Dual power" mode to extend it even further. Have an intelligent power supply that will leave the laptop power supply on for say... 8 hours (Not near enough to kill the car battery). Then when that turns off, the Laptop battery will take over, and your Plugin would turn the laptop off when it reached say 10% battery level. These combined offers roughly 18 hours of standby time.

In most cases, unless you do not drive the car for a couple of days, would offer an "instant on" when the ignition is turned on, and a signal from the power supply returns the laptop from standby.

ThunderStick · 10-03-2009, 04:51 PM

Is this being used on a laptop
It must be installed on a laptop in order to work.

ThunderStick · 10-03-2009, 04:55 PM

Ok found the bug.. re-download from the first post.
Sorry for that.

ThunderStick · 10-03-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by JohnWPB

Very Nice! I have often thought about using a laptop for a CarPC as the built in battery gives you a lot of options for when the power to the ignition is cut.

This way, when you turn the car off, you can have the CarPC go into standby, and off the internal battery alone (No draining the car battery) will maintain the standby for a good number of hours. My Dell laptop will remain in standby for around 10-12 hours till the battery goes dead. The nice thing is you can set windows to go into hibernation at 10% power, and this will work even when the computer is in standby mode.

I have also thought of a "Dual power" mode to extend it even further. Have an intelligent power supply that will leave the laptop power supply on for say... 8 hours (Not near enough to kill the car battery). Then when that turns off, the Laptop battery will take over, and your Plugin would turn the laptop off when it reached say 10% battery level. These combined offers roughly 18 hours of standby time.

In most cases, unless you do not drive the car for a couple of days, would offer an "instant on" when the ignition is turned on, and a signal from the power supply returns the laptop from standby.

I recently switched to a laptop for this very reason. I would never go back to mini-itx again. Laptops are definitely the way to go.
Windows battery monitor doesn't work very well I found out. I would come back to a dead battery every time. Unless your power is over the limits set in the power management system, it will not trigger the commands.
This was the reason for creating this plug-in. This plug in updates every 2.5 seconds and sits in the system tray so it doesn't use a whole lot of resources and gets the job done every time.

jessekilner · 10-04-2009, 09:05 PM

I been using the shutcontrol since I started carpc..quite a while ago. one only problem I encountered was when the power was abruptly shut off (battery dead and AC power cut off) then upon boot I would get the frameworks error.. but other than that I could keep in stanby for 24hr+ no problem instant on.. I was thinking on switchin to microITX though because of the lack of FM and adding on sound.. USB just is'nt good enough option, Anyhow Im gonna test this version and simulate crashing PC several times to see if this one works better
:~)

ThunderStick · 10-05-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jessekilner

I been using the shutcontrol since I started carpc..quite a while ago. one only problem I encountered was when the power was abruptly shut off (battery dead and AC power cut off) then upon boot I would get the frameworks error.. Anyhow Im gonna test this version and simulate crashing PC several times to see if this one works better
:~)

Let me know your findings..
Thanks

jessekilner · 10-06-2009, 02:26 AM

very nice app.no framework errors on 10 hard power down's in a row

I did notice 1 little small thing that I figured is worth mentioning..just for your F.A.Q. I copied the app and stuck it in the startup folder...with this done it will default to original settings, like shutdown rather than the (32)standby i selected. I imagine it's due to it acting as seperate app rather than a shortcut. I checked .ini the settings are correct, if i launch it in that folder it works normal.. so SHORTCUT the app in startup not copy..lol

its the version 2 one I tested, I;m giving the 04OCt one a whirl tomorrow.. Im tired..

ThunderStick · 10-07-2009, 04:57 AM

The 04OCT09 version doesnt work. I am having trouble with it and am working out some bugs now...

ThunderStick · 10-08-2009, 07:49 PM

New full featured release...
Works great, give it a go and let me know

jessekilner · 10-08-2009, 08:18 PM

uh oh.. somethings up.. this time it's not working. triied standby.. reset to 0 time delay and nothin..

*oK boss, I was bored here's my findings.. version 2 works but I'm assuming the resume from standby the program auto exits was your bug you were trying to fix..I never caught that earlier.. is this right? Anyhow I double checked the OCT08-verison and with same settings Shutdown=32, delay=0 iginition key=On.. Im not getting nothing battery is still in my lower panel and AC is cut, I waited thinking it deafults to 59 sec but thats was several minutes ago. So the version 2 exits on resume and the 08' not functioning on my end, Im patient though

In your corner all the way!

ThunderStick · 10-08-2009, 08:29 PM

Make sure
shutdown with ignition off = YES
Click on tray icon to display settings menu.
If this does not say yes it waits for your Minimum Charge to shutdown

ThunderStick · 10-08-2009, 08:31 PM

Also check the battery status message
What does it say there.

jessekilner · 10-08-2009, 08:41 PM

IM getting this

shut option; standby
shut with ignition; yes
min charge 15
shut delay 0
app to wait for autotrapster.exe
timeout for app..20min

battery 98%
status Ok

I tried exiting and restarting to make setting take effect, but im on battery now so no luck.

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