Events
TODO: Review and check that all events are documented.
The available selection of events covers many different use cases.
Remember that you can combine multiple events using a logical relationship to create more complex scenarios.
Countdown
Count down a specified amount of time. This Event is considered "triggered" when the timer reaches zero.
Example uses:
- If you suffer from RSI, set timer to take a break every few minutes and exercise your hands, shoulder and neck.
- Use Shutter as a count-down timer clock (to give alarm at the end of specified time).
- Play a pre-recorded sound every few minutes (to calm down a baby or a pet).
On Time
Event is triggered when the current time (as displayed in the system tray) reaches the specified time.
Example uses:
- Launch an application (e.g. a downloader) at certain time.
- Share your PC on LAN till a particular time, and then turn it off at certain time.
Winamp Stops
Event periodically checks the playback state of Winamp. The event is triggered once it is detected that application is no longer playing the media.
Example uses:
- When the Winamp playlist is over, pause for a specified time period and then play another playlist, or hibernate the PC.
Implementation notes:
- The official Winamp Messaging API is used to determine the playback state.
CPU Usage
Periodically check the processor usage and trigger event when the usage stays above (or below) the specified mark for the specified amount of time.
Example uses:
- Launch a CPU-intensive application (e.g. Blender rendering) to get the benefit of full CPU power.
- When CPU usage goes above certain threshold, pause the resource-intensive applications.
Network usage
Check the network's load (select from total, upload only, or download only); and if it falls below specified limit for the specified duration, then the event is triggered.
Example uses:
- Start a downloader when the download is below a limit.
- Upload a large folder when the upload falls below certain point
- Pause file-transfers till the total traffic in the network falls below a certain limit.
Implementation notes:
The actual measurement of the network usage is taken every second in all configurations. If the averaging option is disabled, then all measurements within the configured period of time (duration) must stay below the threshold in order to trigger the event. If the averaging option is enabled, then the average of all measurements within the configured period of time (duration) must stay below the threshold in order to trigger the event.
Hard Disk Usage
Monitor the hard disk usage and trigger the event when the usage drops below a certain threshold for a specific period of time. The usage can measure the total transfer speed, only the read speed, or only the write speed.
Implementation notes:
The actual measurement of the disk usage is taken every second in all configurations. If the averaging option is disabled, then all measurements within the configured period of time (duration) must stay below the threshold in order to trigger the event. If the averaging option is enabled, then the average of all measurements within the configured period of time (duration) must stay below the threshold in order to trigger the event.
User Inactive
Track the time of user's last mouse and keyboard activity. Trigger the event when the user has been inactive for the specified period of time.
Methods for monitoring user inactivity:
- Last Input Event - Uses
GetLastInputInfoAPI. Captures activity only of the initiating user session. The most stable and the least intrusive approach. - Low Level Hook - Uses
SetWindowsHookEx(WH_KEYBOARD_LL)andSetWindowsHookEx(WH_MOUSE_LL)API. Captures activity from all user sessions. Applied without injection into foreign processes to achieve a less intrusive effect, contrary to the official documentation, so it may stop working in future versions of Windows. - Injection Hook - Uses
SetWindowsHookEx(WH_KEYBOARD)andSetWindowsHookEx(WH_MOUSE)API. Captures activity from all user sessions. A tiny dedicated library file is injected into all foreign processes to capture user activity across all applications. This is a well established approach which may yield better results in some cases, but it is the most intrusive approach.
Example uses:
- Play Winamp when no one is using the PC (turn the PC into entertainment center).
- Launch a task that can otherwise slow down the PC.
Battery Low
Monitor powerthe battery level and trigger event when the level drops below and raises above the specified level. Optionally, trigger the event only when the power supply is in a specific state: online or offline.
Example uses:
- Take backup of critical data.
- Close specified applications gracefully.
- Remind the user to plug in the laptop charger.
- Notify the user when the battery is fully charged.
Window Closes
Monitor openedall windows for the specified title. Trigger the event once a matching window title match. Event is triggeredfound when(window specifiedopens) title doesor not matchfound any(window of the opened windows.closes).
- The
namewindow title matching isNOTcase-sensitive.insensitive. - You can specify wildcards to find a partial match. For example,
*Firefox*.- If you do not use wildcards,
Shutterthe window title willlookbeformatchedanexactly,exactnomatchpartial(ifmatching.
theactual Window name has more characters compared to the specified string, Shutter will treat it as "not matching"). - If you do not use wildcards,
Note:The Bewindow carefultitle when specifyingis the window name: The text should match with what you seedisplayed in the Title Bar of the application (thewindow's top bar of the application's window). Sometimes the Title Bar shows the file that is openedand in the application, instead of the application'desktop's name.task bar.
Example uses:
- Warn the user that the desired application has stopped running.
- Launch the process only if the application is not running already (to avoid multiple instances running simultaneously).
Process Stops
Monitor all executing processes thatfor matcha specified executable filename. Trigger the specified filename. Event is triggeredevent when the specified filename is found (process starts) or not found (process stops) in the list of currently executing processes.
Example uses:
- Warn the user that the process has stopped.
- Launch the next process in sequence.
Program Output
TODO: Document the event.
Ping Stops
Ping the specified host and trigger when the host is responding or not responding for the specified period of time. Useful for monitoring availability of network services.
Example uses:
- Warn the user that the remote PC is not communicating any more (either bad link or crash).
Port
TODO: Document the event.
File Size
Periodically check the size of the specified file and trigger the event when the selected condition is met.
The list of available conditions:
fileFilereachessize is above acertain size;threshold.fileFile size iscreated;below a threshold.fileFile is created.- File no longer exists.
Internally, when the file or directory does not exist, it has an effective size of "-1".
Example uses:
- Take a backup of the file.
- Warn the user that the file size has reached the limit.
Lid
TODO: Document the event.
Full Screen
TODO: Document the event.