This can't be as difficult as I am making it

[Skitterbug]

We want to run a playlist of 5 little soundbites every 15 minutes and have it start and stop at specific times. I am on an XP O/S system. I have access to Windows Media player. I tried setting it up as a scheduled task set to start at a certain hour, and play every 10 minutes. When I played the purple martin "dawn song" I set a path to that song, set it to open on WMP at a certain time and it played continuously. I don't want to play continuously and I want to play more than one song?

How do I do this? Any suggestions will be appreciated! And yes, I still use XP on occasion!

Thank you!

[HansV]

I think you'll have to use a scheduled task for this.

See Using Task Scheduler for info.

After adding a task, set the program to be executed to

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe /play /close "C:\Path\To\Playlist.wpl"

substituting the path and filename of the playlist.
In the Schedule tab, set the task to run every 15 minutes.

(I don't have the complete steps, I haven't used Windows XP for more than 7 years)

[Skitterbug]

Thanks Hans,

I'll go give it a try and see if I can get this to work. My set up is in an outbuilding. We are trying to scare off birds from our crop of apples. (hawk noises, etc.) I'll let you know how this turns out!

I think you'll have to use a scheduled task for this.

See Using Task Scheduler for info.

After adding a task, set the program to be executed to

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe /play /close "C:\Path\To\Playlist.wpl"

substituting the path and filename of the playlist.
In the Schedule tab, set the task to run every 15 minutes.

(I don't have the complete steps, I haven't used Windows XP for more than 7 years)

[Skitterbug]

The frustration level is slowly climbing...... I've attached a pic of the task. And I wonder if I have stuff entered here as I should. I put in the run box the following:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe /play /close "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Music\My Playlists\Scary.wpl"

Should there be something in the "start in: box?

The program is advancing because it tells me that it will start 10 minutes from the last time it tried. In the status area, it tells me that "it could not run".

I checked the admin tools/system to be sure the task scheduler was started knowing that it had to be since the time keeps advancing when it tries to start. But I looked anyway.

So I am missing something or doing something that I shouldn't. Any help will be very much appreciated!

Thank you!

[HansV]

"Start in" shouldn't matter here, but I don't know why it doesn't work.

As an alternative, you could create a playlist that lasts 15 minutes, by inserting one or more silent tracks (you could use the notorious composition 4'33" by John Cage - 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence... ), and have that playlist repeated endlessly.

[Skitterbug]

Sounds like something to try!

It doesn't matter how I get the silence, only that it doesn't play the "scary" sounds continuously. The birds we are trying to keep away from the fruit would soon realize that it is a phony and descend in a vengeance. Thanks for checking out my attempt. I'll keep on working on the problem. I'll "win" in the end!

[DaveA]

If I remember right the use of an user account that is pass worded is required, and the password of that user account needs to be entered in the set up pane, as shown above.

[Skitterbug]

If I remember right the use of an user account that is pass worded is required, and the password of that user account needs to be entered in the set up pane, as shown above.

Thank you Dave! The first few times I tried to get the tasks to run, I'd forgotten this need. I'm working with John to see if I can get a BATch file to run full time once started. He is patient too and I appreciate everyone's help. It's been awhile since I worked with any PC's. Funny how much I've forgotten.

[ChrisGreaves]

...It doesn't matter how I get the silence, only that it doesn't play the "scary" sounds continuously. ...

I was going to suggest "When the Last Trump has Sounded", then I realised it didn't seem to have any silent intervals.
Cheers
Chris

[Skitterbug]

...It doesn't matter how I get the silence, only that it doesn't play the "scary" sounds continuously. ...

I was going to suggest "When the Last Trump has Sounded", then I realised it didn't seem to have any silent intervals.
Cheers
Chris

No thanks.
Enjoy your day.
Smiles ~ Sandy