How to indicate FFS has completed

[malcolmp]

I've scheduled a task in Task Manager on Windows 10 to run at startup, running a FFS backup plan.
I have two actions, first run the FFS backup, then run a very simple vbs script to display a message:
msgbox("Backup Complete")
the above line being saved as file backupmessage.vbs
The FFS backup action runs and completes, but the messagebox runs but never completes.
Running the vbs file from a command prompt works fine.
Any ideas? I appreciate this isn't directly a FFS issue, but I need some way of indicating a competed backup.

[drivetheory]

try this Scheduled Task Action instead:

Action:
Start a program

Program/script:
Msg

Add arguments (optional):
USERNAME Backup Complete

replace username with the user to send the message to, or, use * to send to all currently logged on users. more info can be found here:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490796.aspx

[Zenju]

Why not use the normal FFS progress dialog which waits when finished?
Alternatively, just make the FFS notification area icon visible so you'll know the sync has finished when the icon vanishes: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/change-how-icons-appear-in-the-notification-area

[Giangi]

The FFS backup action runs and completes, but the messagebox runs but never completes.

How did you set the running context, privileges and user?

[malcolmp]

I don't ever see the progress dialog (or any other indication that ffs is running) when running the batch file backup.
The ffs backup also runs at cumputer startup, usually before any user has logged on.
I did try divetheory's suggestion, thanks, and that does indeed give me a message, but the ffs job continues to run for some time after the message is displayed, so no good.

[Waltz]

Why not use the normal FFS progress dialog which waits when finished?
Alternatively, just make the FFS notification area icon visible so you'll know the sync has finished when the icon vanishes: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/change-how-icons-appear-in-the-notification-area

This link is for Windows 7. Can you explain how to get a notification for FFS in Windows 10? I do not see FFS listed in the "Settings/SYSTEM/Windows 10 Notifications & actions" page.

[Zenju]

This link is for Windows 7. Can you explain how to get a notification for FFS in Windows 10? I do not see FFS listed in the "Settings/SYSTEM/Windows 10 Notifications & actions" page.

You're on the right page already. Click on:

Unbenannt.PNG (7.34 KiB) Viewed 3498 times

[malcolmp]

I agree with Waltz, I don't see FFS listed in the apps list.
Regardless of this, I happen to have the "Always show all icons in the notification area" set to on, but no sign of FFS appearing.

[Zenju]

Applications are not shown in this list unless they've used the notification area at least once.

[Waltz]

Applications are not shown in this list unless they've used the notification area at least once.

So how do you get FFS to use the "Notification Area" the first time?

[malcolmp]

I've been running FFS for a few years, and never seen any notification area icon. So, same question as Waltz, "how do we get the indication in the notification area for the first time?"
As a side comment, I would say that FFS is an excellent utility that I will continue to use, so well done. It just would be good to sort out these little points that don't relate to any major bug, but would make life simpler.

[Zenju]

Just minimize FFS to the notification area during sync. The first time you do this, the icon quickly flashes and is then removed forever, unless you make it visible again as described above. This is the Windows 7 (and above) design and AFAIK there is no way to permanently show the notification area icon by default.

[Waltz]

Just minimize FFS to the notification area during sync. The first time you do this, the icon quickly flashes and is then removed forever, unless you make it visible again as described above. This is the Windows 7 (and above) design and AFAIK there is no way to permanently show the notification area icon by default.

Are we confusing the “notification Area” with the “Task Bar”? I still do not see any indication for “FreeFileSync” in the “notification Area” but I do see an icon on the “Task Bar”. As I understand it the “notification Area” is the far right side of the “Task Bar” and reserved for applications that support notifications.

The icon on the “Task Bar” does show the sync status during a sync. It also indicates the completion of the sync.

I got that icon on task bar (Windows 10) by…
1. Opening FFS.
2. Going to the “Task Bar” and right clicking on the FFS icon and selecting “Pin to Task Bar”.
This FFS icon will then remain on the “Task Bar”, even after FFS is closed. This icon can then be clicked on to open FFS the next time.

PS: Notice in the “17 Jun 2016, 05:18” post it indicates the selection of “… icons on the taskbar” but this is really selecting the “notifications” for the “Taskbar”.

[Crafter_Laughter]

I'm pretty sure what @malcolmp was dealing with was what I mention on this thread