Make the launching of one app launch another

[Logicman91]

I'm new to the forums, so hope I got this in the right thread. Anyway, my question is the following:

I know it's possible to choose which applications that'll start on login in OS X, but is it possible to make an application launch when
an other application is launched? For example; I have an app called "I Love Stars", and it makes it possible to rate songs in the menubar while they're playing. Very handy app, but it apparently won't start simultaneously as iTunes, and neither seem to have the option in the preferences to do so, so I have to make sure it is on the "start on login"-list. It would be much better to have it start when launching iTunes. That way it's not in the background using resources while not using iTunes (maybe not much of the CPU, but still).

And also, Is it possible to do the kind of the opposite?: Make an app quit when you quit another one. Thanks in advance.

 

[ergdegdeg]

I'm not sure if this is possible without using another application, which kind of defeats the purpose of not running an app in the background all the time when you don't need it.

If you're interested, though, I suggest Marco Polo, which would let you do what you want (start and quit simultaneously).

 

[Logicman91]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

This is really a feature that should be included in OS X though. =/ And i can't think it would be a complicated feature to implement either. I actually do have some apps that's set to launch with others, and do have that option in their preferences. The annoying thing about them is that they don't have the option to quit with other programs too.

For example, I have the Last.fm-app set to start with iTunes. But why the heck didn't they add a feature to make it quit with iTunes too?
It actually is almost at the top of the CPU-usage list, still when not used, so it would be nice to not have it in the background and using CPU when not using it.

 

[Unique Visuals]

Are you aware you can right click the iTunes dock icon while its running and rate it right there?

 

[deadwulfe]

Although it has a steep learning curve, Automator sounds like what you're looking for. It's part of Mac OSX.

 

[Logicman91]

@Unique Visuals

Yeah, I am, but...

1. You actually have to right click on the iTunes icon, THEN go to "rate" and choose rating.
2. You can't rate half stars there.
3. Its a list with
*
**
***
****
*****, can't just drag your mouse over like in I Love Stars.
4. I Love Stars has a future to play a sound and flash when a song is almost over, to remind you to rate it. I would forget to do it if i did it through the dock.
5.I Love Stars is right in the menubar, you don't need to click anywhere first. Much faster.

@deadwulfe

I'll try it. never understood what that app's actually for though.

 

[deadwulfe]

You can use it to create scripts and "applications."

Personally, I have an "app" on my dock that runs an executable script to mount a secured disk image and then opens a specific file on that disk image using a specific real app; all with one click of the mouse.

In your case you could create the same "app" to run a script that launches iTunes and I Love Stars with one click.