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Author Topic: Command Line Switch to Minimize MC  (Read 3297 times)

DocLotus

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Command Line Switch to Minimize MC
« on: July 05, 2013, 12:56:47 pm »

I have moved MC Startup from... the normal Startup folder to... Windows Task Manager to speed up loading of MC in Windows 8. This reduced the load time (after the Desktop first appears) from 114 seconds to less than 2 seconds.

The only problem is now MC loads maximized & I want it minimized. I need a command line switch to add to the end of... "C:\Program Files (x86)J River\Media Center 18\Media Center 18.exe" that will minimize MC.

I looked in J River's Command Line web page but found no switch for minimizing MC.

Thanks;
Doc
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glynor

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Re: Command Line Switch to Minimize MC
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2013, 01:48:23 pm »

There are other ways to do this, but what you want is:

mc18.exe /mcc 10014

Please Note:  MC's command line options are called on the launcher called mc##.exe (where the ## is the major version of MC).  You do NOT call these on the Media Center 18.exe application directly.  The launcher is installed into your System32 directory, so that it is always in the default path.

If you run what I listed above exactly, it will minimize MC if it is already running.

The Command Line documentation is here: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/The_Command_Line
The Media Center Core commands documentation (for advanced usage) is here: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Media_Center_Core_Commands

For other ways to do this, you could simply set the Window State from whatever script you're using to launch MC in the first place (shortcut, task scheduler, VBScript, etc).
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MrC

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Re: Command Line Switch to Minimize MC
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2013, 02:26:40 pm »

If you want to start the program minimized, use a script.  Place the following in a file somewhere, name it something like StartMCminimized.vbs:

Code: [Select]
Option Explicit
Const command = "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\JRiver\Media Center 18\Media Center 18.exe"
Dim WshShell
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run """" & command & """", 6

Now, you can call that script with Task Scheduler, and MC will start minimized.

The MCC command 10014 won't start MC, but will minimize an open instance.
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DocLotus

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Re: Command Line Switch to Minimize MC
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2013, 04:30:15 pm »

Yes, I just found out that "mc18.exe /mcc 10014" won't minimize MC at start up, only AFTER MC is running so no joy on that one.

I also thought about a script but came up with a simpler solution...
* Moved Startup Delayer from a normal start up item (which was very slow to load) to the Task Scheduler where it now loads as the Desktop comes up.
* Delayed ALL start up items with MC at the top of the list (item #1).

MC now starts in under 5 seconds (down from the original 114 seconds).

The advantages of doing it this way are many...
1: I can quickly re-order my start up items.
2: All start up items have normal properties (such as minimize).
3: Can see by the pop-up startup screen which items are slowing down or hanging up (in my case it turned out to be Logitech's LCore for my gaming hardware). I moved LCore to the bottom of the list now all other items start very quickly.
4: Can now control how much CPU percentage I have available during startup. Previously my computer would always hang during startup; now I can actually use it and THAT is progress.

Thanks everyone for help on this one;
Doc
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MC... Latest version, 1 Mini PC, w/ Server.
TV... USA, ZIP 77036, Std view, Full screen, Not detached, Silicon Dust Guide, OTA, ATSC 1.
MC Audio... Realtek HD 7.1, MP3 Ext, Basic playback.
MC Control... Key, Mouse w/ G HUB.
Windows... 10 Pro, 64 bit, All MS updates.
Hardware... Beelink AMD GR5 Pro Mini PC, 16GB memory, 3 internal HDD's w/ 4.5 TB storage, 8 TB external storage.
1 SiliconDust HD HomeRun Connect Quatro, 1 SiliconDust HDHomeRun Flex Quatro, Amped Antenna w/ splitter.
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