The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 3 (of 5) - How to remotely shut down app on another computer?

How to remotely shut down app on another computer?

Hi,

I'm trying to figure out an easy way to shut down an app on another computer, across our LAN.

(So, Computer A might have a program called "Kill Program on Computer B".)

I could write this in VB 6 (or possibly Delphi 6).
Or is there perhaps a program out there for doing this sort of thing.

----"WHY?" You may ask.----
I'm sharing a file that only one person at a time will use (it's Treepad (from treepad.com)). But, I jump back and forth between computer A and B all day long and I'll forget to shut down the app on the computer when I leave it. So, I'd like to just click a button to shut it down remotely so I can open it locally).

(BTW, I know there's a networked version of Treepad but its 10x the cost AND it doesn't have multi-term (boolean) search, which is a critical feature).

BTW, if anyone knows a good networked (multiuser) alternative to Treepad, I'd be interested in that too). I've looked at MyBase's multiuser version but it's still a bit rough around the edges.

Entrepreneur
Saturday, October 18, 2003

What about just running VNC on each machine ? Then you can remote control the desktop and shut it down.

Damian
Saturday, October 18, 2003

Use the InitiateSystemShutdown API. This API let's you shut down a computer on the LAN. But you must have the rights to do that. I've used it for a long time now and it works under normal user rights also. Just that the right to shut down another computer must not be barred for your user and this API will work.

Sathyaish Chakravarthy
Saturday, October 18, 2003

If something like the VNC solution sounds good, but for some reason you need a custom program that will do it, you might want to check out these remote components that are written for Delphi:

http://www.deltasoft.hr/remote/

Herbert Sitz
Saturday, October 18, 2003

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/pskill.shtml

"Windows NT/2000 does not come with a command-line 'kill' utility. You can get one in the Windows NT or Win2K Resource Kit, but the kit's utility can only terminate processes on the local computer. PsKill is a kill utility that not only does what the Resource Kit's version does, but can also kill processes on remote systems. You don't even have to install a client on the target computer to use PsKill to terminate a remote process."

Joel Spolsky
Saturday, October 18, 2003

can't you just use a remote desktop connection?

rz
Saturday, October 18, 2003

If you have a look at some of the stuff in the NT resource kit you'll see some VBScripts that do this kind of stuff.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/scriptcenter/process/ScrPcs08.asp
shows how to shutdown local processes

I think this only works for NT, we've used this stuff to close down games on sales folks PC remotely (for joke purposes).

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/scriptcenter/process/ScrPcs08.asp
shows how to start up REMOTE processes

Peter Ibbotson
Saturday, October 18, 2003

Nuts.. I missed the fact that url is the same, anyway the remote example is a few up on the treeview

Peter Ibbotson
Saturday, October 18, 2003

pskill is what you want. seriously. nothing else necessary

DanG
Sunday, October 19, 2003

I realize I miscalculated your problem. Didn't read through it closely enough.

Sathyaish Chakravarthy
Sunday, October 19, 2003