Launching an app at a specified time

[ericmjl]

Hey guys,

I was wondering, is it possible to launch an app at a specified time (e.g. MTWThF at 9:30AM)?

I ask, because I'm work in a lab, and I'd like to have the app "LabAssistant" launch at 9:30AM every work day, so that I don't forget to use it. Even though it's in my dock, it's not in my habits to launch it every day the way I launch Excel and Word.

Cheers,
Eric

 

[Richard1028]

Why not just have the app automatically launch every time you start your mac?

See user accounts in System preferences. (Login Items)

 

[wrldwzrd89]

You can do this with a little bit of AppleScriptery, and using iCal as the scheduler.

Here's the script code I use for this:

tell application "KoLmafia"
	open
end tell

...replacing KoLmafia with the name of the application to launch.

Then, just create an event in iCal, and set its alarm to Run Script. Choose the script you created in AppleScript Editor.

 

[angelwatt]

You could also use cron to setup the startup. Below would open TextEdit at 9:30am M-F.

30 9 * * 1-5  /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit &

To use cron:

EDITOR=nano
export EDITOR
crontab -e

This will open a text editing app within Terminal called nano. Once you're done typing in the above command hit control+x and it will ask if you want to save, hit y then enter and it should bring you back to the Terminal prompt and you'll be all set.

 

[elistan]

What about an iCal entry with an alarm configured to open a file zero minutes before the entry. And the file to open is simply the app you need.