Processes - Set priority

Declaration

<AMPROCESSES ACTIVITY="setpriority" PROCESSNAME="text" SAMEPROCESS="text (options)" DOMAINNAME="text" REMOTEMACHINE="text" USERNAME="text" PASSWORD="text" PROCESSID="sdf" PRIORITY="text (options)" />

Related Topics   

Description

Changes the execution priority of one or more instances of a process. If multiple instances of the process exist, priority can be set for the oldest, newest, all or no instances of the process. This activity supports local and remote processes.

Practical usage

Commonly used to adjust specific process priorities to improve performance or prevent badly behaved processes from negatively impacting the system's overall responsiveness. Note that in order to set the priority to Realtime, the user must have proper security permissions to do so.

Parameters

Process

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Find by name Text

No

 (Empty)
  • PROCESS="NOTEPAD.EXE"
  • PROCESS="C:\folder\process.exe"
 If enabled, specifies the name of the process in which to set. This parameter supports entry of the absolute path (C:\folder\process.exe) or relative path (Notepad.exe) of the process. If this parameter is enabled, the Find by process ID parameter becomes inactive. This parameter is enabled by default.
If multiple instances of the process exist, apply changes to Text (options) No Oldest SAMEPROCESS="nothing" Indicates which process instance should be set in case more than one instance of a given process is running. The available options are:
  • Oldest (default) - Only the oldest running instance of the process will have its priority set.
  • Newest - Only the newest (last) running instance of the process will have its priority set.
  • None - No instance of the process will have its priority set.
  • All - All instances of the process will have its priority set.
Find by process ID Text No Yes PROCESSID="11452" If enabled, specifies the process ID of the process to set. If this parameter is enabled, the Find by name  parameter becomes inactive. This parameter is disabled by default.
NOTE: Use the Processes - Get Information activity to retrieve the process ID of a given process.
Change process priority to Yes/No No No PRIORITY="Idle" The priority level to set the process to. The available options are:
  • Normal (default) - Specified for a process with no special scheduling needs.
  • Below normal - Indicates a process that has priority above Idle but below Normal priority.
  • Above normal - Indicates a process that has priority above Normal but below High priority.
  • Idle - Specified for a process with threads that run only when the system is idle. The threads of the process are preempted by the threads of a process that run in a higher priority class, for example, a screen saver. The idle-priority class is inherited by child processes.
  • High - Specified for a process that performs time-critical tasks that must be executed immediately. The threads of the process preempt the threads of normal or idle priority class processes.
  • Realtime - The highest possible priority. The threads of the process preempt the threads of all of the other processes, including operating system processes that perform important tasks. Note that the user must have proper security permissions to set priority to this level.

Computer

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Local computer --- --- --- --- If enabled, specifies that the process to end resides on the local machine. This parameter is enabled by default. If this parameter is selected, the Another Computer parameter becomes inactive.
NOTE: This parameter does not contain markup and is only displayed in visual mode for task construction and configuration purposes.
Another computer --- --- --- --- If enabled, specifies that the process to end resides on a remote machine. The parameters below become active if this parameter is enabled.
NOTE: This parameter does not contain markup and is only displayed in visual mode for task construction and configuration purposes.
Computer Text Yes (Empty)
  • REMOTEMACHINE="machine.domain.com"
  • REMOTEMACHINE="xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx"
 The hostname or IP address of the remote machine that contains the process to end. This parameter is available only if the Another computer parameter is enabled.
Domain Text Yes (Empty) DOMAINNAME="netauto" The domain name of the remote machine that contains the process to end. This parameter is available only if the Another computer parameter is enabled.
Username Text Yes (Empty) USERNAME="Bruce.Wayne" A valid username used to log onto the remote machine that contains the process to end. This parameter is available only if the Another computer  parameter is enabled.
Password Text Yes (Empty) PASSWORD="batman" The password corresponding to the username entered in the Username field. This parameter is available only if the Another computer parameter is enabled.

Description

Error Causes

On Error

Examples

NOTE:
  • Copy and paste the sample AML code below directly into the Task Builder Steps Panel.
  • To successfully run the sample code, update parameters containing user credentials, files, file paths, or other information specific to the task to match your environment.

Example 1

This sample task sets the priority of the process Photoshop.exe on the local computer to Above normal.

Copy 
<AMPROCESSES ACTIVITY="setpriority" PROCESSNAME="Photoshop.exe" SAMEPROCESS="all" PRIORITY="abovenormal" />

Example 2

This sample task set priority of the process Photoshop.exe on a remote machine to High.

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<AMPROCESSES ACTIVITY="setpriority" DOMAINNAME="remoteMachine.com" REMOTEMACHINE="theRemoteMachine" USERNAME="user" PASSWORD="AM2ooXWPmWe55c=aME" PROCESSNAME="Photoshop.exe" SAMEPROCESS="all" PRIORITY="high" />