"ZygorGuidesClient" PC Startup Programs

[briandknight]

1) With a fresh Zygor guides install, I noticed two entries in the "Startup" folder for Zygor: 1) ZygorGuidesClient.vbs, 2) ZygorGuidesClient.exe. With the Zygor client not loading at PC startup, I tried executing ZygorGuidesClient.vbs by itself and it appears to do nothing. On the other hand ZygorGuidesClient.exe brings up the Zygor guide client (and goes through updates etc.) as it should. I then removed ZygorGuidesClient.vbs from the Startup folder and restarted the PC and the Zygor guides client did load properly. Is it even necessary to have and entry for ZygorGuidesClient.vbs in the PC Startup folder?

2) A few days ago I noticed that the Zygor guide client wasn't starting up automatically when I logged into my PC. I checked the list of startup programs and saw that ZygorGuidesClient.exe was missing (but ZygorGuidesClient.vbs was still there). After manually running ZygorGuidesClient.exe to start the Zygor client, I went into the Zygor guide interface "Settings" (gear at lower right corner of the Zygor client) and went into "Preferences" and noticed that the option "Open the client on startup" was already selected. So I de-selected then re-selected this option and received a "Settings Saved" message but it did not fix the Zygor client startup problem. I then de-selected "Open the client on startup" (with "Settings Saved" message) then looked at all of PC startup programs and the entry for ZygorGuidesClient.vbs was gone but the ZygorGuidesClient.exe was still in the PC startup programs list.

Also, not that this is a common "use case" with the Zygor Client, but I noticed that if the .vbs and .exe "ZygorGuidesClient" entries had been "accidentally" removed from the PC startup programs list and then you went into the Settings->Preferences of the Zygor client and de-selected the "Open the client on startup" option, the "ZygorGuidesClient.exe" (but not "ZygorGuidesClient.vbs") was added to the list of PC startup programs. Maybe this is some "feature" that I'm not aware of, but it seems to me that the "ZygorGuidesClient" startup entries should be removed from the startup programs list when you de-select the "Open the client on startup" option. Maybe audit the list of PC startup programs before adding or removing entries from the PC startup programs list?

Sorry for the long post!

Please look into these issues and post a reply. I may not be the only one experiencing this "strangeness." Thank you! -BK

[Zygor Dev 6]

Can I safely assume you are running Windows 8 or 8.1? Correct me if this assumption is incorrect.

The way I handle the startup is due for an update, so expect one in the near future. As for the current way, you should not be seeing a ZygorGuidesClient.exe appear in your Startup folder. The intended action is that ZygorGuidesClient.vbs is deleted upon unchecking "Open the client on startup", and created upon selecting it. The vbs script is what should be executed on startup, and silently executes ZygorGuidesClient.bat which is located in your installation directory. This bat file then launches the client to open silently in the background.

The reason I assume you are on Windows 8 or 8.1 is because I'm pretty sure their startup procedure changed from Windows 7, which is what I run on and test the majority of the client features on.

[AussieEevee]

Windows 8 does still use the start menu startup folder.

He said that if he manually clicks the vbs file, it does nothing. Sounds to me like either the client isn't installed correctly (Could be the client itself, or a permissions problems).. or a scripting engine (VBS) or Java problem.

The thing about Windows scripting engines is that they are so easy to break. I accidentally broke mine a few weeks back and no script (VBS or otherwise) would run. They'd either silently fail or throw a confusing error. It was a pain in the rear to fix it.

[Zygor Dev 6]

Windows 8 does still use the start menu startup folder.

He said that if he manually clicks the vbs file, it does nothing. Sounds to me like either the client isn't installed correctly (Could be the client itself, or a permissions problems).. or a scripting engine (VBS) or Java problem.

The thing about Windows scripting engines is that they are so easy to break. I accidentally broke mine a few weeks back and no script (VBS or otherwise) would run. They'd either silently fail or throw a confusing error. It was a pain in the rear to fix it.

We've had another user report their client not starting up when they boot into Windows 8, thus my assumption. I'll be changing it to make use of the registry instead so there's no reliance on VBS.

[briandknight]

Can I safely assume you are running Windows 8 or 8.1? Correct me if this assumption is incorrect.

The way I handle the startup is due for an update, so expect one in the near future. As for the current way, you should not be seeing a ZygorGuidesClient.exe appear in your Startup folder. The intended action is that ZygorGuidesClient.vbs is deleted upon unchecking "Open the client on startup", and created upon selecting it. The vbs script is what should be executed on startup, and silently executes ZygorGuidesClient.bat which is located in your installation directory. This bat file then launches the client to open silently in the background.

The reason I assume you are on Windows 8 or 8.1 is because I'm pretty sure their startup procedure changed from Windows 7, which is what I run on and test the majority of the client features on.

I'm actually running Windows 7 Ultimate (x64). -BK

[Zygor Dev 6]

I'm actually running Windows 7 Ultimate (x64). -BK

Same setup as me, odd. I'll hold off on any "suggestions to fix this" until I update how I handle the onstart feature. Expect it sometime this week.

[briandknight]

ZygorGuidesClient.vbs and ZygorGuidesClient.bat PC Startup Files - Info Needed

Same setup as me, odd. I'll hold off on any "suggestions to fix this" until I update how I handle the onstart feature. Expect it sometime this week.

I was able to make minor edits to the ZygorGuidesClient.vbs and ZygorGuidesClient.bat to make the .vbs execute properly on startup. The only problem is that when ZygorGuidesClient.vbs (modified) is executed, something associated with Zygor over-writes the .vbs and .bat with the original versions of these files. Please let me know what's causing this over-writing of the Startup folder files to happen. Thanks.
-BK

[Zygor Dev 6]

I was able to make minor edits to the ZygorGuidesClient.vbs and ZygorGuidesClient.bat to make the .vbs execute properly on startup. The only problem is that when ZygorGuidesClient.vbs (modified) is executed, something associated with Zygor over-writes the .vbs and .bat with the original versions of these files. Please let me know what's causing this over-writing of the Startup folder files to happen. Thanks.
-BK

Yeah the client re-writes the vbs and bat file on startup and shutdown to ensure they aren't messed with, sorry :P

The vbs file has been scrapped though, and I'm making use of the registry's onstart capability. Using a vbs script was just used to hide a command prompt when making a "java -jar..." call, but there were other ways to make that happen. This, among other changes, is still being tested and should be pushed live later today or tomorrow.

Out of curiosity though, what modifications did you have to make?

[briandknight]

ZygorGuidesClient .vbs and .bat Startup Files (Original and Modified) Attached

Yeah the client re-writes the vbs and bat file on startup and shutdown to ensure they aren't messed with, sorry :P

The vbs file has been scrapped though, and I'm making use of the registry's onstart capability. Using a vbs script was just used to hide a command prompt when making a "java -jar..." call, but there were other ways to make that happen. This, among other changes, is still being tested and should be pushed live later today or tomorrow.

Out of curiosity though, what modifications did you have to make?

I've attached the original and modified versions of the .vbs and .bat startup files to this message. You'll notice that the carriage returns and some spacing seems to be missing in the original files (not sure why). Not sure if CR are required but I'm pretty sure that spacing was causing problems. (See attached files)
-BK

[briandknight]

.vbs and .bat Editor/Viewer Problem?

I've attached the original and modified versions of the .vbs and .bat startup files to this message. You'll notice that the carriage returns and some spacing seems to be missing in the original files (not sure why). Not sure if CR are required but I'm pretty sure that spacing was causing problems. (See attached files)
-BK

I just noticed that when I view the .vbs file with a basic text editor (Notepad), the carriage returns and spaces are missing. When I view these files with WordPad (or similar viewer), the carriage returns and spacing appear to be fine. I do know that when I added the appropriate carriage returns and spaces with Notepad that the Startup files started working fine (until they were overwritten by Zygor).
-BK

[Zygor Dev 6]

I just noticed that when I view the .vbs file with a basic text editor (Notepad), the carriage returns and spaces are missing. When I view these files with WordPad (or similar viewer), the carriage returns and spacing appear to be fine. I do know that when I added the appropriate carriage returns and spaces with Notepad that the Startup files started working fine (until they were overwritten by Zygor).
-BK

I avoid using Notepad or any other "raw" text editor to view files that are used by programs. Notepad just doesn't display everything as it is written by the program. Like I said though, the vbs aspect will be gone very shortly.

[briandknight]

Sounds good... Thanks!
-BK