topic Re: Tasklist command in Visual LISP, AutoLISP and General Customization Forum

Tasklist command

autoid374ceb4990 — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 17:39:52 GMT

The "tasklist" command can be run from a command window to list the currently running processes. When used like this: tasklist | find "blender" it returns the name blender.exe if blender is currently active (either minimized or maximized) and also sets an errorcode that can be used to determine if the blender program is currently running.

Can the tasklist command be run from autolisp?

Re: Tasklist command

paullimapa — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 20:02:41 GMT

This lisp may not meet the exact result you want but give it a try.

(load "TaskFind") (TaskFind "Blender.exe")

Note: Task "Blender.exe" must match in case as listed in the Tasklist.

; TaskFind check for name of process that's running ; if found notepad opens created text file in current drawing folder ; Argument: ; img-nam = case sensitive process name to look for ; Example: ; (taskfind "NVDisplay.Container.exe") ; (taskfind "Registry") ; OP: ; https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/visual-lisp-autolisp-and-general/tasklist-command/td-p/13385903 (defun TaskFind (img-nam / fil fr exe txt) (vl-load-com) (setq fil (strcat (getvar 'dwgprefix) "MyTaskList.txt") ; save file to current dwg location exe (strcat "Tasklist.exe | find \"" img-nam "\" > " fil) txt (strcat "Notepad.exe " fil) ) (if (findfile fil) ; chk if file exists (vl-file-delete fil) ; delete file ) (command "_Sh" exe) ; shell tasklist find process (alert (strcat "Completed Find Process on:\n" img-nam)) ; forces pause to allow for text file to be created (if (setq fr (open fil "r")) ; chk if txt file created (progn (if (read-line fr) ; chk if file is empty (startapp txt) ; open with notepad (progn (vl-file-delete fil) ; delete file (alert (strcat "Process " img-nam " Not Found.")) ) ) (close fr) ) (alert "Failed to create Text File.") ) ; if (princ) )

Re: Tasklist command

autoid374ceb4990 — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 20:58:47 GMT

Thanks. I am using R14, so visual lisp not available.

I can call the SHELL command and then run a batch file that contains:

tasklist | find "blender"
if errorlevel 0 SET FOUND="YES"
if errorlevel 1 SET FOUND="NO"

Then check the FOUND variable to see if blender is active.

Re: Tasklist command

paullimapa — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 21:27:16 GMT

Wow, are you running R14 on Window 2000?

Also just out of curiosity, does this revised version run inside R14:

; TaskFindr14 version check for name of process that's running ; if found notepad opens created text file in current drawing folder ; Argument: ; img-nam = case sensitive process name to look for ; Example: ; (taskfind "NVDisplay.Container.exe") ; (taskfind "Registry") ; OP: ; https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/visual-lisp-autolisp-and-general/tasklist-command/td-p/13385903 (defun TaskFind (img-nam / fil fr exe txt) ; (vl-load-com) (setq fil (strcat (getvar 'dwgprefix) "MyTaskList.txt") ; save file to current dwg location exe (strcat "Tasklist.exe | find \"" img-nam "\" > " fil) txt (strcat "Notepad.exe " fil) ) (if (findfile fil) ; chk if file exists ; (vl-file-delete fil) ; delete file (close (open fil "w")) ; empty file ) (command "_Sh" exe) ; shell tasklist find process (alert (strcat "Completed Find Process on:\n" img-nam)) ; forces pause to allow for text file to be created (if (setq fr (open fil "r")) ; chk if txt file created (progn (if (read-line fr) ; chk if file is empty ; (startapp txt) ; open with notepad (command "_Sh" txt) (progn ; (vl-file-delete fil) ; delete file (close (open fil "w")) ; empty file (alert (strcat "Process " img-nam " Not Found.")) ) ) (close fr) ) (alert "Failed to create Text File.") ) ; if (princ) )

Re: Tasklist command

Sea-Haven — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 22:14:14 GMT

Is this not part of your response to another post about switch to another program window ? Switch focus to another program - Autodesk Community

Re: Tasklist command

autoid374ceb4990 — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 22:29:18 GMT

paullimapa

Yes, I am running R14 on 64 bit Windows 7 and Windows 10.

Your file loads in R14 but what do you enter to run it?

Also no vl_ commands in my old LISP so it will not execute.

Re: Tasklist command

paullimapa — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 22:40:01 GMT

Which is why I purposedly revised it by commenting out the vl functions.

In my first reply I posted how you can run the function:

If the TaskFind function finds Blender.exe as one of the running processes in the Tasklist, the contents will be saved into the current drawing folder a text file called MyTaskList.txt and then the file will be opened for review using Notepad.

Re: Tasklist command

autoid374ceb4990 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:13:51 GMT

My LISP is a bit rusty, but I changed the (getvar 'dwgprefix) to (getvar "dwgprefix") in the line below and it works.

 (setq fil (strcat (getvar 'dwgprefix) "MyTaskList.txt") ; save file to current dwg location

Thanks

Re: Tasklist command

paullimapa — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:29:40 GMT

Good. So back in r14 lisp days it doesn’t take the apostrophe method to retrieve system variable info. but required the good old surrounded by quotes method.