-- run.exe v0.3 (normal version)
-- (c) 2013 Valentin Schmidt

run.exe is a general purpose application starter utility.


FEATURES
========

- hidden (has no window)

- small (20 KB, or 5 KB with UPX compression)

- highly customizable via INI file. For details see comments in enclosed
  "run.ini".

- define arbitrary command-line parameters (without requiring a shell/DOS box).
  See parameter "param=" in INI file.

- pass the dynamically set current commandline arguments to the target app,
  optionally combined/extended with fixed data.
  See wildcard "%*" for parameter "param=" in INI file.

- set the state/visibility of the target app (e.g. normal, maximized, minimized,
  hidden, ...).
  See parameter "show=" in INI file.

- run win apps completely hidden, useful e.g. for helper apps/services; of
  course the process is still shown in task manager or process explorer.
  See parameter "show=" in INI file.

- set the current directory for the target app to any directory (optionally
  using environment variables, see below), or use "*" to specify that it is
  always executed in the folder where run.exe is found (even when run.exe was
  called via path from another directory.
  See parameter "dir=" in INI file.

- (temporarily) adjust/define environment variables that are then available for
  the target app.
  See parameter "env=" and parameters defined in the [env] section of the INI file.

- elevate/change user for the target process.
  See value "runas" for parameter "action=" in INI file.

- in addition to executing apps, you can also open/edit/print files with the
  appropriate default app as defined in the registry, or trigger any other
  action that is defined in the registry for this filetype.
  See parameter "action=" in INI file.

- use enviroment variables in all INI parameters (where applicable), like %TMP%,
  %HOMEPATH%, "%ProgramFiles% etc., which are then automatically expended to
  their current value.
  See parameter "expand=" in INI file.

- determine the process priority of the target process (Idle, Normal, High,
  Realtime).
  See parameter "priority=" in INI file.

- define a windows hotkey (e.g. something like SHIFT+F12, or whatever) for the
  target app, the user can then use this hotkey any time to activate/focus the
  app (e.g. when it was minimized to the task manager).
  See parameter "hotkey=" in INI file.

- define a timeout (in ms) after which the target app is automatically
  terminated.
  See parameter "timeout=" in INI file.

- specify if run.exe should wait for the target app to terminate (if no timeout
  is specified.
  See parameter "wait=" in INI file.

- optionally allows to add a tray icon with context menu to the system tray. The
  menu has a an "About" and a "Quit" action.


ADDITIONAL NOTES:
=================

- run.exe can be renamed to any other name (e.g. "setup.exe" for UAC elevation
  in vista/win7), as long as the INI file is renamed accordingly (foo.exe -> foo.ini)

- steps to change the icon:
  1. if EXE is packed with UPX, first unpack it with uxp.exe: upx -d run.exe
  2. use e.g. ResHacker to exchange the icon resource, save changes and quit.
  3. optionally repack with UPX (if desired): upx run.exe