Question

Here’s the situation: I’ve got .bat file that is being started by windows scheduler every 15 min. However, when system logs off user – actions are not being performed. I’d like to know, if it is possible to add some code to .bat file to make it log in to system again ?

Answer 1

When the user logs out, if the screen goes to a CTRL+ALT+DEL login screen, good-luck-chuck. No one has found a way to force windows to recognize CTRL+ALT+DEL from any programming language. Not even VBScript SENDKEYS will do it. However, if it goes directly to the user login to enter the name and password you can create a small .vbs sendkeys script to auto-login the user prior to running your .bat:

login.vbs

set wshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WSCript.shell")

wshShell.sendkeys "Username"
wscript.sleep 1000
wshShell.sendkeys "{Tab}"
wscript.sleep 1000
wshShell.sendkeys "Password"
wscript.sleep 1000
wshShell.sendkeys "{ENTER}"
WScript.Quit

Throw it into windows scheduler to run even if user is logged off. Or better yet, if you want to have it auto-login the user say 15 minutes after they log out, you can add it to the local Group Policy for that machine:

In RUN type gpedit.msc navigate to Local Computer Policy -> User
Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Scripts (Logon/Logoff) Double
click on Logoff and hit Add… In script name, enter the path of your
.vbs and hit ok. At the beginning of the .vbs file, add

wscript.sleep 900000

That will force it to wait 15 minutes before running the rest of the script automatically when a user logs off.