watchDirectory Help > Running Tasks
Running Tasks
After you have configured a new task, it is shown on the main interface
of the watchDirectory Control Center. However, it is not running yet.
If you configured the task
to run as a Windows Service (Pro),
it will be started automatically after you reboot Windows.
If this task is configured to run from the Startup Menu, it will run when the user logs in.
If this task is configured to run manually, it will never automatically start.
No matter how you configured the task to run, you can always start, stop and pause tasks from the watchDirectory Control Center. On the picture of the watchDirectory Control Center you can see three tasks, named "thumbsup" (currently running as indicated by the green arrow in front of it), "ftptoamazing" and "autozip" (both stopped).
Start the task
To start a task, select it and press the "Run Task" button, the F5 key or choose the "File -> Run" menu. If you want to start all tasks that are not currently running, press CTRL+SHIFT+F5.Stop a task
To stop a running task, select it and press the "Stop Task" button, or select the "File -> Stop" menu. If you want to stop all tasks currently running, press CTRL+SHIFT while pressing the Stop button. If this task is configured as a Windows Service (Pro) it will automatically start again after a system reboot. If it is configured to run from the startup menu, it will start again when a user logs in.Pausing a task
You can pause a task by pressing the "Pause Task" button. A paused task will ignore all file system changes (new files etcetera).Using the context menu
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When you right-click a task, or press SHIFT+F10 while a task is selected, its context menu will open.
The context menu is an alternative method to start, stop and pause the selected task.
Other options include starting the Task History program,
change the settings of the task and copy the task.
A nice feature of this context menu is that it allows you to explore folders that are used by this task.
Controlling tasks from the command line
You can also start, stop and pause tasks from the command line (for example using a .bat file script). Open a command box (Start -> Run -> cmd.exe), and navigate to the directory where you installed watchDirectory (normally C:\Program Files\watchDirectory).Start a task from the command line
To start the "thumbsup" task, enter:wdRun -start thumbsup
Stop a task from the command line
To stop the "thumbsup" task, enter:wdRun -stop thumbsup
Pause a task from the command line
To pause the "thumbsup" task, enter:wdRun -pause thumbsup
Resume a paused task from the command line
To resume the paused "thumbsup" task, enter:wdRun -resume thumbsup
Additional options for watchDirectory services
(Professional edition only)Besides the previously mentioned options (start, stop, pause and resume), wdRun has 2 extra options when you use the Professional edition.
Add a task to run as a Windows Service
This will add the task to the Windows "services" applet. Note that the Control Center will automatically do this for you when you select Run as a Windows Service.wdRun -install thumbsup
Remove a task from the Windows Service applet
This will remove the task from the Windows "services" applet.wdRun -uninstall thumbsup
Alternative methods to control watchDirectory Services
When you run a watchDirectory task as a Windows Service, you can obviously use the "Services" applet on the Windows Control Panel to start and stop these services. Just remember that their name on the Services applet will be "watchDirectory:your-task-name-here" (watchDirectory:thumbsup).
Instead of using wdRun to control watchDirectory services, you can also use the Windows NET.EXE command
to start and stop a watchDirectory task that is configured to run as a Service.
To start the thumbsup task, using the NET command, enter:
net start "watchDirectory:thumbsup"
And to stop it again:
net stop "watchDirectory:thumbsup"
Enter "net start" on its own to see a list of all running Windows Services.