ProcessWatcher 3.0


What it's all about

ProcessWatcher is a simple utility application for Macintosh computers running at least MacOS 7.0. It provides a very easy way of monitoring the processes running on your machine.

ProcessWatcher can display two kind of windows: processes lists and process information. Processes list windows merely display a list of the running processes; process information window give information such as the Process Serial Number, the active time, the launch flags.

ProcessWatcher can connect to a remote ProcessWatcher application (either ProcessWatcher or PWd, the ProcessWatcher background only "daemon"application) to monitor the processes running on another machine of the network.

Using ProcessWatcher you can also kill the running processes, launch new processes, and send Open AppleEvents to running processes.

The processes list window

The main window is called "Processes". It displays a list of the running processes on the local machine. The processes include the applications with a user-interface (the list is displayed in the Application menu on the right end of the menu bar) and background only application (such as the Apple Guide or PWd for instance). To open it, use the Processes:Show List menu item.

When this window is open, you can:
  • option-click or command-click to bring the process to front
  • double click on a process name to open its Process Information window
  • use the Process menu to open the process info window, kill the application, bring it to front or send it Open AppleEvent.
    • Tips

    Let ProcessWatcher in the background, then option-click on a process name in its "Processes" window: the front application is hidden and the clicked one brought to front.

    Select the Finder in the Processes window, then use the Processes:Kill menu item. The Finder quits. You can launch it again using the Processes:Launch... menu item and selecting the Finder from the System folder.

    Process information windows

    To open a Process Information window, double-click on a process name in a Processes List window, use the Get Info or Info for All menu items. These windows provides information on the process:
  • its icon
  • its Process Serial Number (PSN)
  • its type and signature
  • its launch mode
  • its location in memory
  • the memory allocated and the free memory available for the process
  • the launcher PSN (the PSN of the process which launched the process, usually the Finder)
  • the launch date and hour
  • the active time
  • the launch flags in the right part of the window.
    • For processes running on the local machine, the active time and memory indicators are updated every few seconds.

    The launch flags can be hidden or shown by clicking on the small arrow in the window.

    Remote monitoring

    To be able to monitor remote machines, you must ensure first that Application Linking in on and that you have the right priviledges to link to remote processes.

    These settings are found:
  • in the Chooser, Appletalk should be activated
  • in the Control Panel folder, open Sharing Setup to allow program linking
  • in the Control Panel folder of the remote machine, open Users and Groups and open your User icon to give you the program linking permission
  • under Finder, select Sharing... menu item while the remote process ison is selected to allow program linking for a particular process

    • Launching other processes

    You can launch other processes using the Launch Process... menu item. Just select the file of the application or other launchable item, from the Open File dialogue (available types are APPL, ffil, FNDR). If the file is not shown in the dialogue (because it's type is not recognised), just hold the Option key while selecting the menu item. Then you can select any file. For instance, to select the Apple Guide extension (type INIT), you should hold the option key.

    Scripting

    ProcessWatcher 3.0 supports some scripting with AppleScript (and maybe other scripting languages, but I never tried another one). Be aware that ProcessWatcher is still not recordable.

    Here is a small example of a script sent to ProcessWatcher: 
    
tell application "ProcessWatcher 3.0"   set the bounds of window 1 to {50, 50, 200, 250}
   connect "ProcessWatcher 3.0" at machine "Michael" at zone "Python"   set the bounds of window "Michael:Processes" to {210, 50, 410, 250}
   connect "PWd 3.0" at machine "Terry"   set the bounds of window "Terry:Processes" to {420, 50, 630, 250}
end tell

    Where to find new versions

    Check at ftp.curie.fr/pub/mac/processwatcher for newer versions or revisions.

    Technical information

    ProcessWatcher is written using Symantec C++. It does not use the Think C Library.

    ProcessWatcher was originally designed on a SE/30. It is now developped and tested on a PowerMac 7500, and hopefully it should work for you!

    How can you help me?

    Send me bug reports, corrections of the documentation, send me a postcard, send me an e-mail, send me your wish list, your comments etc. to

    hugues@isoft.fr

    snail-mail:
    Hugues Marty
    19 rue Franc
    31000 Toulouse
    France