How to run my program on before logout on windows XP?

Question

I am looking for an inverse version of "RunOnceEx".

RunOnceEx does run some program, before the user's shell(desktop&taskbar) start. The login progress will not continue before the runonceex complete.

I want to do exact the same but on user logout. When she/he logout, all running program shutdown, leaving shell(desktop&taskbar), then ""I wish my program will be execute this moment"", finally logout.

I think it is possible because the "mobsync.exe" is doing that. But I cannot find where and how to do it.

I was asking for a "programmable" way - that, I can set it up during my the installation or a option in the application. The group policy is great, but it just does not fix the requirement. Are Microsoft hardcoding the "mobsync.exe"? — Dennis C, Nov 29 '09 at 14:14
As @VonC said, justr add some registry entires. how hard is that! — TFD, Dec 13 '09 at 22:28
Are you looking for a solution in C/C++ or .NET? Also, mobsync.exe is a Microsoft program and more than likely uses Registry entries like all the answers that you are refusing. — John Bellone, Dec 17 '09 at 17:42

VonC · Answer 1 · 2009-12-18T20:07:02.697

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Warning, as said here, gpedit.msc will allow you to configure a logoff script for all users.

If you need that script only for one user, you need to declare it directly in the registry, both in HKCU and HKLM.

edited Dec 18 '09 at 20:07

answered Nov 27 '08 at 16:58

VonC

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score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

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To run this only for the current user, you can use WMI to get an information when a shutdown/logout occurs.

Either you write a small C# (or any other language that can use WMI) application or vbs script to listen on the Win32_ComputerShutdownEvent WMI event.

An example C# app can be found here in this question: Get Log off event from system

edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

Community

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answered Dec 17 '09 at 17:38

Dominik Fretz

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score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 17 '09 at 14:44

If you want a running program to execute code on logoff, then you should hook the WM_QUERYENDSESSION message and look for an lParam value of ENDSESSION_LOGOFF (0x80000000).

It's important to test for this lParam value because the other ones indicate a "forced close" - i.e. your process may be killed before your code is even allowed to run. In fact, most shutdown/session-end messages are only intended to give you an opportunity to run last-minute cleanup code and aren't that safe to respond to with long-running actions; but this particular combination should be OK.

Note: I've never tried to actually run a separate process in response to the WM_QUERYENDSESSION message. It's possible that the window manager will disallow this, like it does during shutdown. Try it and see, I guess.

If you're in a .NET environment (you didn't specify), a quicker way is to add an event handler to the Microsoft.Win32.SystemEvents.SessionEnding event.

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 27 '08 at 16:53

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found in the first result on google for me

To execute a program you can create a script to run it and use group policy to enforce it. In Group Policy Editor navigate to User Configuration-->Windows Settings-->Scripts (Logon/Logoff)

more information here

answered Nov 27 '08 at 16:53

Fredou

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As I am asking in stackoverflow, not Superuser, I am looking for solutions for programmings – Dennis C Dec 16 '09 at 14:30

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 15 '09 at 16:08

What you need is an implementation of GINA. You can run your custom commands in WlxIsLogoffOk function, which gets called when the user initiates a logoff

Once you create the proper GINA dll you can register it here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\@GinaDLL

Here is an implementation which may fit your needs (it provides a Logoff registry key where you could specify your command): http://wwwthep.physik.uni-mainz.de/~frink/newgina_pre09/readme.html

+1 because this is a legitimate answer but I think implementing a GINA dll for what this person wants to accomplish is way over the top. — Christopher Tarquini, Dec 17 '09 at 05:23

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 16 '09 at 13:28

As VonC and TFD already mentioned, the Group Policy Editor is just another way to manipulate the registry.

Just make with gpedit the changes (in Userconfig - Windows Settings - Scripts) you like and afterwards take a look in the registry at [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\Scripts] to find out how you can do that directly.

Also on my PC (hanging in a domain) is a hidden folder C:\WINDOWS\System32\GroupPolicy with subfolders for user and machine. Both having additional subfolders called Shutdown and Startup. Maybe you can also use these ones.

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Dec 17 '09 at 13:37

If you need something simple and working for a single (or any) user you can make a simple application in C++ or C# for example.

The simplest is having a C# in tray (by simply adding the tray component to the form) and register and event handler for the FormClosing event. It'd look like this:

    private void Form1_FormClosing(object sender, FormClosingEventArgs e)
    {
        if (e.CloseReason != CloseReason.UserClosing)
        {
            // It's not the user closing the application,
            // Let's do whatever you want here, for example starting a process
            Process notePad = new Process();

            notePad.StartInfo.FileName   = "notepad.exe";
            notePad.StartInfo.Arguments = "ProcessStart.cs";

            notePad.Start();
        }
    }

So your application will be started with Windows or with the user. It'll wait (using a little bit of memory) and will do something when the system shuts down, or the user log off, etc (by checking "CloseReason" above).

How to run my program on before logout on windows XP?

7 Answers7