/runtray-ps

Run any console program in the notification area.

Primary LanguagePowerShellMIT LicenseMIT

runtray-ps

A long-running console program can be run in the notification area.

Configure detailed settings in the JSON configuration file.

Supported platforms

runtray.ps1 can run on Windows platforms with PowerShell 3.0 and .NET Framework 4.5 or later versions installed.

Windows PowerShell system requirements
Preinstalled since Windows 8.

Installation

Unblock downloaded file

Users should unblock files downloaded from the Internet so that Windows does not block access to the files.

With GUI

  1. Download runtray.ps1.
  2. Right-click the file and select Properties from the context menu.
  3. On the General tab of the file properties dialog, check the Unblock option.

With CLI

Use PowerShell's Unblock-File cmdlet.

powershell -NoProfile -Command Unblock-File "path\to\runtray.ps1"

Use runtray.ps1 as bundle

  1. Download runtray.ps1 and Unblock.

  2. Copy the ps1 file and write a JSON configuration file with the same name to the same folder.

    C:\my\app\my-application.ps1
C:\my\app\my-application.json

  3. Run install command.

    powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned C:\my\app\my-application.ps1 install

Use runtray.ps1 as global

  1. Download runtray.ps1 to any folder and Unblock.

    C:\my\program\runtray.ps1

  2. Write a JSON configuration file and put it in any folder.

    C:\my\app\my-application.json

  3. Run install command.

    powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned C:\my\program\runtray.ps1 install -ConfigPath C:\my\app\my-application.json

Start application

The shortcut is installed to the Startup folder, so it will automatically start when you log on to Windows.

Alternatively, you can launch it with the script start command.

Usage

Command line

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned .\runtray.ps1 <Command> [Option ...]
Command Description
start Start the executable from shortcut.
stop Stop the service.
restart Stop and start the service.
install Install shortcut to the startup folder.
uninstall Remove shortcut from the startup folder.
run Start the executable in current terminal. For internal or debug.
Option Description
-ConfigPath file JSON configuration file path.
-GUI Enable GUI mode.
-PassThru Returns an object in some command.

JSON configuration file

Note that backslashes must be escaped within the JSON string.

Example::

{
    "name": "ping-local",
    "description": "Pinging localhost continuously.",
    "executable": "%WinDir%\\System32\\ping.exe",
    "arguments": ["-t", "127.0.0.1"],
    "workingdirectory": "%USERPROFILE%",
    "shutdownwait": 2000,
    "autorestart": true
}
Element Required Type Default Description
$.name No string 1 Used for the shortcut filename and the program title.
$.description No string "" Written in the description field of the shortcut.
$.executable Yes string Path to the executable. 2
$.arguments No string[] [] Arguments of the executable. 2
$.workingdirectory No string "." Path to the working directory. 2
$.shutdownwait No int 2000 Wait time in milliseconds after sending Ctrl-C.
$.autorestart No bool false Auto-restart when service is terminated.

Footnotes

  1. The base name of the configuration file without the extension is used. ↩

  2. Replace %name% in the string with the value of the environment variable with the specified name. ↩ ↩2 ↩3