prcview.com (gone as of 2016-02-12, archive)

Command line utility allows automating common task like figuring out if particular process is running or killing a running process on scheduler. Has a GUI version.

I’ve never really used it, but it’s stayed in my toolkit because it’s under a megabyte.

• Tested PrcView GUI 3.7.3.1, commandline 3.10.2.1, on 2014-04-24 on Windows 8.1, updated recently.

• Tested PrcView GUI 5.2.15.1, commandline 3.11.1.1, on 2016-02-12 on Windows 10, updated recently.

Its commandline documentation ∞

Checking if a particular process is running is easy. For example the following command will show all instances of explorer that are running:

pv explorer.exe

Setting a process priority is another common task. To set explorer priority to normal just type:

pv –pn explorer.exe

or if you like a ‘verbose’ style

pv -p"Normal" explorer.exe

pv supports the common * and ? wildcards so that the following command
will perfectly work by printing out all the processes starting with e

pv  e*

Don’t like a particular process and would like to kill it? The following
command will do the job:

pv –k thisprocess.exe

And if you don’t like additional questions and would like to force killing:

pv –kf  thisprocess.exe

Don’t like this particular instance of the process and know the window title? The following command will do the job (please note that \ need to be represented as a \\ combination if you enter it from the command line):

pv -k thisprocess.exe -w"c:\\"

pv.exe can be easealy executed from a batch file to check if process is running.

When writing a command file please note that the ERRORLEVEL number specifies a true condition if the last program run returned an exit code equal to or greater than the number specified.

The following script illustrates how this could be done:

@echo off
pv.exe %1 >nul
if ERRORLEVEL 1 goto Process_NotFound
:Process_Found
echo Process %1 is running
goto END
:Process_NotFound
echo Process %1 is not running
goto END
:END

Please note that redirecting standard errors by using 2>file_name does not work under 9x Windows. Please use 2>file_name instead. This notation will be processed by pv.exe.

Help ∞

pv -?

PrcView v 3.7.2.4 command line utility by Igor Nys
Usage: pv -[<MODE>] -[<OPTIONS>] <ARGUMENTS>...-[<OPTIONS>]
Modes:
  -h,-?    --help      display this help information
  -k       --kill      kill PROCESS
  -a       --activate  activate PROCESS
  -c       --close     close (send WM_CLOSE) to the PROCESS
  -m       --module    show modules used by specified PROCESS
  -g       --getenv    get startup environment for the  PROCESS
  -p[nihr] --priority  set priority to "Normal", "Idle", "High", "Real Time"
    [ba]               "Below Normal" and "Above Normal" only on W2K or higher
  -t       --tree      display process tree, -te for computer-readable format
  -u       --usage     show processes that uses specified MODULE
  -s       --summary   show MODULE usage summary
Options:
  -f,      --force     never prompt
  -e,      --extend    show additional information if available
  -i,      --id        use process ID instead of the PROCESS name
  -q,      --quiet     supress headers and produce a tab-separated list
  -d[time] --delay     delay time in milliseconds before executing command
  -l[mask] --long      include process command line
  -w[mask] --window    show only processes with visible windows, -e show hidden
  -r	   --repeat    repeat command in a cycle

Arguments can contain '*' and '?' wildcards.
Process return code (%ERRORLEVEL%) can be used in batch files
0 - process found, 1 - empty result set, 2 - programm error

Examples of use ∞

Would like to add an example? Found any errors? Please write at support at prcview.com or contact me directly at igornys at writeme.com

License ∞

LIABILITY DISCLAIMER — READ BEFORE using pv.exe

The software is provided “as-is” and without warranty of any kind, expressed, implied or otherwise, including and without limitation, any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. in no event shall the author or his company be liable for any special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of profits, business interruption, loss of information, or any other loss), whether or not advised of the possibility of damage, and on any theory of liability, arising out of or in connection with the use or inability to use this software.