Looking for a program to restore all open windows after restart

I am using about 10-20 open files and folders for each of my projects mainly
word, excel and access. Switching between projects takes too much effort on
remembering which files to open and where are they located. I have already
found the way to restore open folders after restart, but it would be nice to
find a freeware program that would allow saving the list of all open windows
as a session or workspace and restoring them when needed.

Twayne
Thu May 08 06:33:12 PDT 2008

> I am using about 10-20 open files and folders for each of my projects
> mainly word, excel and access. Switching between projects takes too
> much effort on remembering which files to open and where are they
> located. I have already found the way to restore open folders after
> restart, but it would be nice to find a freeware program that would
> allow saving the list of all open windows as a session or workspace
> and restoring them when needed.

It's feasible but not trivial to do that. I'm not aware of any
ready-made program for it. One would have to write a script file to do
so and I think it might not be doable in batch files. Got any friends
that code in VB or PHP?

MaxRempel
Thu May 08 06:58:06 PDT 2008

No thanks, no coding or even close.
Optimizing interface would take forever.
I have dug out couple programs that do similar things - restoring sessions
etc, but they are tuned up to little different goals so found them not
helpful much. At least from the first glance.
Logically, one may save a list of shortcuts in a folder and launch them all,
but that takes time too. I found most helpful to write down key names using
pencil and paper and then get them using google desktop search. That is the
level of automation in year 2008.

"Twayne" wrote:

> > I am using about 10-20 open files and folders for each of my projects
> > mainly word, excel and access. Switching between projects takes too
> > much effort on remembering which files to open and where are they
> > located. I have already found the way to restore open folders after
> > restart, but it would be nice to find a freeware program that would
> > allow saving the list of all open windows as a session or workspace
> > and restoring them when needed.
>
> It's feasible but not trivial to do that. I'm not aware of any
> ready-made program for it. One would have to write a script file to do
> so and I think it might not be doable in batch files. Got any friends
> that code in VB or PHP?
>
>
>
>

Seahawk60B
Fri May 09 13:56:25 PDT 2008

Unless I misunderstand what you're trying to accomplish, it's really
not that difficult.
Create a batch file that you can put in your startup folder.
Within the batch file, call the programs you need to launch pointed to
the specific documents.

For example, let's say the file is startup.bat, and it looks like
this:

start winword.exe "C:\Documents\MyWordDoc.doc"
start excel.exe "C:\Documents\Spreadsheets\MyWorksheet.xls" "C:
\Documents\Spreadsheets\MyOtherSheet.xls"
start msaccess.exe "C:\Databases\MyDB.mdb"

MaxRempel
Fri May 09 15:39:01 PDT 2008

I know very well about batch files. The problem is that the set of files
changes frequently.
Therefore making a batch file manually is a very slow process that doesn't
pay off. Similarly one may create a directory with shortcuts with used files,
but this is also a slow semi-arutomatic way.
The solution should be seamless.
And I have found somthing that is reasonably close.
to use directory opus. It has an option to name and save a list of opened
folders(as tabs). It doesn't open files, but at least allows to keep track of
folders needed for a project.
Ideally it would be nice to annotate files needed for the project and have
this project description to be unharmed by evential shifting and renaming of
the files.

"Seahawk60B" wrote:

> Unless I misunderstand what you're trying to accomplish, it's really
> not that difficult.
> Create a batch file that you can put in your startup folder.
> Within the batch file, call the programs you need to launch pointed to
> the specific documents.
>
> For example, let's say the file is startup.bat, and it looks like
> this:
>
> start winword.exe "C:\Documents\MyWordDoc.doc"
> start excel.exe "C:\Documents\Spreadsheets\MyWorksheet.xls" "C:
> \Documents\Spreadsheets\MyOtherSheet.xls"
> start msaccess.exe "C:\Databases\MyDB.mdb"
>
>
>

Twayne
Sat May 10 07:44:18 PDT 2008

> I know very well about batch files. The problem is that the set of
> files changes frequently.
> Therefore making a batch file manually is a very slow process that
> doesn't pay off. Similarly one may create a directory with shortcuts
> with used files, but this is also a slow semi-arutomatic way.
> The solution should be seamless.
> And I have found somthing that is reasonably close.
> to use directory opus. It has an option to name and save a list of
> opened folders(as tabs). It doesn't open files, but at least allows
> to keep track of folders needed for a project.
> Ideally it would be nice to annotate files needed for the project and
> have this project description to be unharmed by evential shifting and
> renaming of the files.
>
> "Seahawk60B" wrote:
>
>> Unless I misunderstand what you're trying to accomplish, it's really
>> not that difficult.
>> Create a batch file that you can put in your startup folder.
>> Within the batch file, call the programs you need to launch pointed
>> to the specific documents.
>>
>> For example, let's say the file is startup.bat, and it looks like
>> this:
>>
>> start winword.exe "C:\Documents\MyWordDoc.doc"
>> start excel.exe "C:\Documents\Spreadsheets\MyWorksheet.xls" "C:
>> \Documents\Spreadsheets\MyOtherSheet.xls"
>> start msaccess.exe "C:\Databases\MyDB.mdb"

Anyone write in VB6? I don't have time but I can see that being a
useful and small app for the freeware world. Not time here or I'd try
it. Could be done in lots of languages, but VB6 would be smallest and
easiest IMO at least.
--
Twayne