Solved Keep Awake When Specific Application Is Running

gunrunnerjohn · May 23, 2025

I'd like to keep the computer awake only when a specific application is running. Once that application terminates, I would like the computer to revert to the normal power setting behavior. I looked around and I don't find an utility to accomplish that.

I looked at PowerToys Awake it's close, but it triggers on the PID which changes. If I could trigger on the application name, that would be perfect.

If I could figure out how to find the PID of a running program by name and then insert it into the command line for Awake, that would probably do it.

pseymour · May 23, 2025

You could get all processes like this...

Powershell:

 Get-Process | Sort-Object -Property @('Name') | Format-Table -AutoSize -Property @('Name', 'Id', 'Path')

or filter it by tacking the -Name switch on to Get-Process

Powershell:

Get-Process -Name '*fox*' | Sort-Object -Property @('Name') | Format-Table -AutoSize -Property @('Name', 'Id', 'Path')

Code:

Name       Id Path
----       -- ----
firefox  1864 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 17680 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 17332 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 16856 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 16176 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 15068 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 14360 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 12388 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 12336 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 10476 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 10184 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox  9892 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox  9776 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox  8708 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox  7548 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox  7416 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox  4648 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox  4144 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 18660 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
firefox 18796 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe

gunrunnerjohn · May 23, 2025

Not sure how that helps automate it.

pseymour · May 23, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
If I could figure out how to find the PID of a running program by name and then insert it into the command line for Awake, that would probably do it.

If you wanted to keep the PC awake when notepad was running, it'd be something like

Powershell:

Get-Process -Name '*notepad*' | Select-Object -First 1 | ForEach-Object { Start-Process 'PowerToys.Awake.exe' -ArgumentList @('--pid', $_.Id) }

garlin · May 23, 2025

I’ve seen GitHub projects that switch power plans whenever specific apps or processes are running.

dacrone · May 23, 2025

garlin said:
I’ve seen GitHub projects that switch power plans whenever specific apps or processes are running.

GitHub - Simbiat/SnoozeGuard: Prevent system/display sleep if a process is running

Prevent system/display sleep if a process is running - Simbiat/SnoozeGuard

github.com

gunrunnerjohn · May 23, 2025

Hmm... I looked at GitHub, missed that one. That looks simple enough.

gunrunnerjohn · May 23, 2025

Hmm... maybe not. This comment was left by the author.

I was not able to make this work without an obvious powershell terminal flashing or constantly showing. All known methods of hiding the powershell terminal (wrapping in VBS, running regardless of whether user is logged in) result in the state not being updated, even though logs indicate that script was run successfully. If you do manage to make this work somehow, please, submit a PR for this README file (and the script itself, if required).

dacrone · May 23, 2025

save this as invisible.vbs and call that followed by the .ps1. will keep it completely hidden

Code:

CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run """" & WScript.Arguments(0) & """", 0, False

pseymour · May 23, 2025

That works if you have VBScript installed and WSH enabled.

dacrone · May 23, 2025

pseymour said:
That works if you have VBScript installed and WSH enabled.

enabling all of the disabled features in 24h2 is one of the first things i did. i forgot which ones were disabled lol. thanks. ^^ listen to that then mine

pseymour · May 23, 2025

To be fair, I think VBScript is still on by default, and so is WSH. Some folks (me) don't have either one though.

dacrone · May 23, 2025

pseymour said:
To be fair, I think VBScript is still on by default, and so is WSH. Some folks (me) don't have either one though.

i think you were right though. i may have had to enable it. either way, if so OP, use command prompt as admin:

Code:

Dism /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:VBSCRIPT~~~~

antspants · May 23, 2025

pseymour said:
To be fair, I think VBScript is still on by default, and so is WSH. Some folks (me) don't have either one though.

Being the eldest of 3 children, I took great pleasure in experiencing everything, first.

Having some girls father chase me with a shotgun
Discovering alcohol
Going to prison
Getting blocked on Facebook
Discovering that VBScript & WSH are on by default.

garlin · May 23, 2025

For @antspants ‘s neighbors, who are offended every time he flashes them with his PS:

Code:

conhost —headless powershell -nop -ep bypass -f script.ps1

gunrunnerjohn · May 23, 2025

My head is spinning.

I thought there must be a utility to just do this, obviously not...

pseymour · May 23, 2025

Well did you try feeding a process ID to PowerToys Awake? Or try dacrone's and garlin's ideas for running the PowerShell script?

dacrone · May 23, 2025

if you're averse to using command line, you can use a tool like Shutter. i have never used it but ran across this superuser post a long time ago and bookmarked it...

https://superuser.com/questions/615321/task-scheduler-event-when-an-application-ended

gunrunnerjohn · May 24, 2025

I got close, this powershell works properly when the application is running, but gets an error when the application is closed. The script just sends a scroll lock key periodically to keep the computer alive. I set it to 5 seconds so I can see it function, in reality I'd send it twice every 15-20 minutes once I get it working.

I also have to figure out how to hide the powershell script window.


Do {
    $PROC_NAME ="vlc"
    $PROC = Get-Process $PROC_NAME

    If ($PROC)
    {
        $WSHELL = New-Object -com “Wscript.Shell”
        $WSHELL.sendkeys(“{SCROLLLOCK}”)
    }
    # sleep for x seconds
    Start-Sleep -Seconds 5 
} While (1)

pseymour · May 24, 2025

Use either

Powershell:

Get-Process -Name 'vlc' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

or

Powershell:

Get-Process -Name '*vlc*'

Solved Keep Awake When Specific Application Is Running

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