CacheMyWork Wiki & Documentation Rss Feed

New Comment on "Documentation"

tuxplorer — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:41:03 GMT

This project is very interesting, there is already a similar app as your called SmartClose. Wondered if you would be interested in checking it out: http://bmproductions.fixnum.org/smartclose/index.htm

Updated Wiki: Home

ParanoidMike — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 18:55:06 GMT

If you're like me, you avoid rebooting your computer because it means you'll forget what you were working on. Every time I have to reboot because of some install/uninstall/patch, invariably I forget half of what I was working on because I don't remember all the docs and apps I have to reopen (those 5-15 minutes between "shutdown all apps" and "logged in, Windows quieted down" are huge opportunities for me to be randomized and lose my short-term memory cache).

News

(2011-01-15) Uploaded an alpha build of version 2. Please download and let me know if it crashes or if you have any feedback!

(2011-01-02) Can't predict when the next release will come, but it is anything but abandoned - I completely rewrote the codebase over the last year or so, to the point where I don't have a way to roll any new fixes to the old codebase, *and* I've dug myself a WPF hole that has been murder to dig my way out of. Sorry, but believe me I'm still motivated to get this sucker out at some point. I figure those of you who keep downloading and checking in for an updated version are probably wondering if this will ever get addressed, so I wanted to address those concerns (that frankly I've had myself over the last year or so).

(2010-09-06) I'm working towards a v2.0 release based on a wholesale conversion from VB.NET to C#, WinForms to WPF, and some significant performance improvements.

(2009-11-09) CacheMyWork has been Lifehacker'd! I'd still be interested in making improvements here, so if you have something burning, drop me a note/Comment/Discussion/Issue.
(2008-03-22) Major update to the application Documentation here, explaining how the app works, and documenting some of the quirks I've had to deal with so far.
(2007-10-08) Version 1.2 installer has been uploaded - sorry about that, I really thought I'd made it available last week!
(2007-10-05) Version 1.2 is released - now with better filters, so you're only restarting apps that don't launch automatically! Get it here.
(2007-09-25) Version 1.1.1 is released - fixes the bug introduced in v1.1. It's available here

Documentation

The CacheMyWork application documentation can be found here.

FAQ

(1) How was this built?

This application is written in .NET 2.0 using VB, and is currently using only in-box classes.

(2) What are the prerequisites?

The .NET 2.0 CLR is required. Tested to work on Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), and users report that it works even on Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit).

(3) There's some flaws in your application (or its source code). How can that be?

When it comes to professional-quality code development, the answer is "I'm still learning my way around .NET". :)

(4) What are the current Bugs in CacheMyWork?

Any bugs I know about are documented as either Issues or Tasks in the Issue Tracker.
If you have experienced any of the known bugs, please Vote on it in the Issue Tracker.
If you experience any bugs that I haven't documented, please submit it as a new Issue in the Issue Tracker, or open a new thread in the Discussions.

(5) What are the planned or desired Features for CacheMyWork?

All Features that I've thought of are documented as Features in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see one of these Features implemented sooner rather than later, please Vote on that Feature in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see some other Feature that I haven't documented, please add it as a new Feature to the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to submit code to help speed up the process, please submit a Patch with a code sample to me and I'll do my best to integrate it as soon as possible.

Updated Wiki: Home

ParanoidMike — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 18:54:43 GMT

News

(2011-01-15) Uploaded an alpha build of version 2. Please download and let me know if it crashes or if you have any feedback!

(2010-09-06) I'm working towards a v2.0 release based on a wholesale conversion from VB.NET to C#, WinForms to WPF, and some significant performance improvements.

Documentation

The CacheMyWork application documentation can be found here.

FAQ

(1) How was this built?

This application is written in .NET 2.0 using VB, and is currently using only in-box classes.

(2) What are the prerequisites?

The .NET 2.0 CLR is required. Tested to work on Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), and users report that it works even on Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit).

(3) There's some flaws in your application (or its source code). How can that be?

When it comes to professional-quality code development, the answer is "I'm still learning my way around .NET". :)

(4) What are the current Bugs in CacheMyWork?

Any bugs I know about are documented as either Issues or Tasks in the Issue Tracker.
If you have experienced any of the known bugs, please Vote on it in the Issue Tracker.
If you experience any bugs that I haven't documented, please submit it as a new Issue in the Issue Tracker, or open a new thread in the Discussions.

(5) What are the planned or desired Features for CacheMyWork?

All Features that I've thought of are documented as Features in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see one of these Features implemented sooner rather than later, please Vote on that Feature in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see some other Feature that I haven't documented, please add it as a new Feature to the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to submit code to help speed up the process, please submit a Patch with a code sample to me and I'll do my best to integrate it as soon as possible.

Updated Wiki: Home

ParanoidMike — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 22:53:17 GMT

News

(2010-09-06) I'm working towards a v2.0 release based on a wholesale conversion from VB.NET to C#, WinForms to WPF, and some significant performance improvements.

Documentation

The CacheMyWork application documentation can be found here.

FAQ

(1) How was this built?

This application is written in .NET 2.0 using VB, and is currently using only in-box classes.

(2) What are the prerequisites?

The .NET 2.0 CLR is required. Tested to work on Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), and users report that it works even on Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit).

(3) There's some flaws in your application (or its source code). How can that be?

When it comes to professional-quality code development, the answer is "I'm still learning my way around .NET". :)

(4) What are the current Bugs in CacheMyWork?

Any bugs I know about are documented as either Issues or Tasks in the Issue Tracker.
If you have experienced any of the known bugs, please Vote on it in the Issue Tracker.
If you experience any bugs that I haven't documented, please submit it as a new Issue in the Issue Tracker, or open a new thread in the Discussions.

(5) What are the planned or desired Features for CacheMyWork?

All Features that I've thought of are documented as Features in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see one of these Features implemented sooner rather than later, please Vote on that Feature in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see some other Feature that I haven't documented, please add it as a new Feature to the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to submit code to help speed up the process, please submit a Patch with a code sample to me and I'll do my best to integrate it as soon as possible.

New Comment on "Documentation"

alreadydone — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 10:34:37 GMT

STDUViewer (for PDF, DJVU, TIFF, etc.) also has a "Mangage Session" feature, and it seems that PDF-XChange Viewer can restore from last session.

Updated Wiki: Home

MikeSL — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:16:59 GMT

News

(2010-09-06) I'm working towards a v2.0 release based on a wholesale conversion from VB.NET to C#, WinForms to WPF, and some significant performance improvements.

Documentation

The CacheMyWork application documentation can be found here.

FAQ

(1) How was this built?

This application is written in .NET 2.0 using VB, and is currently using only in-box classes.

(2) What are the prerequisites?

The .NET 2.0 CLR is required. Tested to work on Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), and users report that it works even on Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit).

(3) There's some flaws in your application (or its source code). How can that be?

When it comes to professional-quality code development, the answer is "I'm still learning my way around .NET". :)

(4) What are the current Bugs in CacheMyWork?

Any bugs I know about are documented as either Issues or Tasks in the Issue Tracker.
If you have experienced any of the known bugs, please Vote on it in the Issue Tracker.
If you experience any bugs that I haven't documented, please submit it as a new Issue in the Issue Tracker, or open a new thread in the Discussions.

(5) What are the planned or desired Features for CacheMyWork?

All Features that I've thought of are documented as Features in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see one of these Features implemented sooner rather than later, please Vote on that Feature in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see some other Feature that I haven't documented, please add it as a new Feature to the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to submit code to help speed up the process, please submit a Patch with a code sample to me and I'll do my best to integrate it as soon as possible.

Updated Wiki: Home

MikeSL — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:16:06 GMT

CacheMyWork is a handy utility that enables you to reboot Windows without losing your place in your work. It builds a checklist of currently open applications, and will restart the apps you

've selected the next time you logon to the computer. Cache My Work is great for occasions when you need to unexpectedly reboot, such as on "Patch Tuesday", after installing new drivers, or when Windows runs out of Desktop Heap, Handles or GDI Objects (which happens more often than I'd like - even with the fixes described here ).

If you're like me, you avoid rebooting your computer because it means you'll forget what you were working on. Every time I have to reboot because of some install/uninstall/patch, invariably I forget half of what I was working on because I don't remember all the docs and apps I have to reopen (those 5-15 minutes between "shutdown all apps" and "logged in, Windows quieted down" are huge opportunities for me to be randomized and lose my short-term memory cache).

News

(2010-09-06) I'm working towards a v2.0 release based on a wholesale conversion from VB.NET to C#, WinForms to WPF, and some significant performance improvements.

Documentation

The CacheMyWork application documentation can be found here.

FAQ

(1) How was this built?

This application is written in .NET 2.0 using VB, and is currently using only in-box classes.

(2) What are the prerequisites?

The .NET 2.0 CLR is required. Tested to work on Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), and users report that it works even on Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit).

(3) There's some flaws in your application (or its source code). How can that be?

When it comes to professional-quality code development, the answer is "I'm still learning my way around .NET". :)

(4) What are the current Bugs in CacheMyWork?

Any bugs I know about are documented as either Issues or Tasks in the Issue Tracker.
If you have experienced any of the known bugs, please Vote on it in the Issue Tracker.
If you experience any bugs that I haven't documented, please submit it as a new Issue in the Issue Tracker, or open a new thread in the Discussions.

(5) What are the planned or desired Features for CacheMyWork?

All Features that I've thought of are documented as Features in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see one of these Features implemented sooner rather than later, please Vote on that Feature in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see some other Feature that I haven't documented, please add it as a new Feature to the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to submit code to help speed up the process, please submit a Patch with a code sample to me and I'll do my best to integrate it as soon as possible.

Updated Wiki: Home

MikeSL — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:15:02 GMT

CacheMyWork is a handy utility that enables you to reboot Windows without losing your place in your work. It builds a checklist of currently open applications, and will restart the apps you've selected the next time you logon to the computer. Cache My Work is great for occasions when you need to unexpectedly reboot, such as on "Patch Tuesday", after installing new drivers, or when Windows runs out of Desktop Heap, Handles or GDI Objects (which happens more often than I'd like - even with the fixes described here ).

If you're like me, you avoid rebooting your computer because it means you'll forget what you were working on. Every time I have to reboot because of some install/uninstall/patch, invariably I forget half of what I was working on because I don't remember all the docs and apps I have to reopen (those 5-15 minutes between "shutdown all apps" and "logged in, Windows quieted down" are huge opportunities for me to be randomized and lose my short-term memory cache).

News

(2010-09-06) I'm working towards a v2.0 release based on a wholesale conversion from VB.NET to C#, WinForms to WPF, and some significant performance improvements.

Documentation

The CacheMyWork application documentation can be found here.

FAQ

(1) How was this built?

This application is written in .NET 2.0 using VB, and is currently using only in-box classes.

(2) What are the prerequisites?

The .NET 2.0 CLR is required. Tested to work on Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), and users report that it works even on Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit).

(3) There's some flaws in your application (or its source code). How can that be?

When it comes to professional-quality code development, the answer is "I'm still learning my way around .NET". :)

(4) What are the current Bugs in CacheMyWork?

Any bugs I know about are documented as either Issues or Tasks in the Issue Tracker.
If you have experienced any of the known bugs, please Vote on it in the Issue Tracker.
If you experience any bugs that I haven't documented, please submit it as a new Issue in the Issue Tracker, or open a new thread in the Discussions.

(5) What are the planned or desired Features for CacheMyWork?

All Features that I've thought of are documented as Features in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see one of these Features implemented sooner rather than later, please Vote on that Feature in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see some other Feature that I haven't documented, please add it as a new Feature to the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to submit code to help speed up the process, please submit a Patch with a code sample to me and I'll do my best to integrate it as soon as possible.

Updated Wiki: Documentation

MikeSL — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:31:50 GMT

What Does CacheMyWork Do?

CacheMyWork enables you to instruct Windows to re-launch specific applications the next time you login
CacheMyWork identifies all the applications that (a) the user has launched and (b) are visible on the Taskbar
By default, CacheMyWork will also simplify the list by removing those applications that are auto-started by Windows on behalf of the user (e.g. instant messaging applications)

How To Use CacheMyWork

Just launch CacheMyWork.exe
Select each of the applications you want launched again after you next logon
Click the Save button.

Optional Settings

Under the Tools > Hide Applications menu:

Select any "active" applications that you wish to "hide" from the main list (i.e. the list you see when you first launch CacheMyWork)
Select any previously "hidden" applications that you wish to display in the main list
Each of these choices will take effect as soon you click OK

Under the Tools > Options menu:

Allows you to enable or disable the Windows setting "Restore previous Explorer windows at next logon"
This Windows setting will cause each Explorer Window (e.g. drive, folder, share) to be opened again to the same location the next time you login
This Windows setting will be persistent - i.e. it won't require you to run CacheMyWork before each reboot (i.e. it isn't a CacheMyWork feature, but simply something from Windows that I'm exposing)
more information about this Windows setting is documented here

Information on Specific Application Caching Issues

Caching/Reboot-friendly applications

These are some applications that have specific ability to automatically re-open the documents that were open when the application was last closed:

Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/)
- free, open source "replacement" for Notepad
- will automatically remember and re-open any files that were open when the app last closed or crashed
Firefox (with the Session Manager add-on)
- saves multiple open tabs and windows, whether you gracefully close Firefox or it crashes.
- Can even save a history of closed windows until you close Firefox (or even across launches!).
Internet Explorer 7+
Avant Browser (http://www.avantbrowser.com/) or Maxthon Browser (http://www.maxthon.com/)
- free, closed-source "replacements" (Trident wrappers, actually) for Internet Explorer.
- These browser enhancements uses the Internet Explorer "engine" (so you get the same page layout and compatibility with IE-friendly sites), but replace the user interface with new menus, right-click options, tabbing, caching of open tabs, and a whole lot more.

Limitations of CacheMyWork

CacheMyWork is only able to cache your applications, not their documents
- It's not able to save and automatically re-open the open documents for most applications (except where those applications happen to store the document's filename and path on the process's command line, such as with Notepad)
- In fact, based on my research, I'm beginning to believe that the only way to accomplish this is to install application-specific add-ins that scrape the inner "state" of the app's documents and caches that as well. I believe that's a hopeless pursuit.
CacheMyWork is only able to cache the first instance of each application that it finds.
- That is, if there are two or more of any one application running at once (e.g. when Notepad is launched twice), CacheMyWork isn't able to cache the second instance of that application.
- Based on the years of experience using CacheMyWork, I've yet to find an occasion where two instances of the same application (a) are useful enough to bother re-opening both, and (b) have a distinct process command line that *can* be cached.

Updated Wiki: Documentation

MikeSL — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:29:16 GMT

What Does CacheMyWork Do?

CacheMyWork enables you to instruct Windows to re-launch specific applications the next time you login
CacheMyWork identifies all the applications that (a) the user has launched and (b) are visible on the Taskbar
By default, CacheMyWork will also simplify the list by removing those applications that are auto-started by Windows on behalf of the user (e.g. instant messaging applications)

How To Use CacheMyWork

Just launch CacheMyWork.exe
Select each of the applications you want launched again after you next logon
Click the Save button.

Optional Settings

Under the Tools > Hide Applications menu:

Select any "active" applications that you wish to "hide" from the main list (i.e. the list you see when you first launch CacheMyWork)
Select any previously "hidden" applications that you wish to display in the main list
Each of these choices will take effect as soon you click OK

Under the Tools > Options menu:

Allows you to enable or disable the Windows setting "Restore previous Explorer windows at next logon"
This Windows setting will cause each Explorer Window (e.g. drive, folder, share) to be opened again to the same location the next time you login
This Windows setting will be persistent - i.e. it won't require you to run CacheMyWork before each reboot (i.e. it isn't a CacheMyWork feature, but simply something from Windows that I'm exposing)
more information about this Windows setting is documented here

Information on Specific Application Caching Issues

Caching/Reboot-friendly applications

These are some applications that have specific ability to automatically re-open the documents that were open when the application was last closed:

Notepad (http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm)
- free, open source "replacement" for Notepad
- will automatically remember and re-open any files that were open when the app last closed or crashed
Avant Browser (http://www.avantbrowser.com/) or Maxthon Browser (http://www.maxthon.com/)
- free, closed-source "replacements" (Trident wrappers, actually) for Internet Explorer.
- These browser enhancements uses the Internet Explorer "engine" (so you get the same page layout and compatibility with IE-friendly sites), but replace the user interface with new menus, right-click options, tabbing, caching of open tabs, and a whole lot more.
Firefox (with the Session Manager add-on)
- saves multiple open tabs and windows, whether you gracefully close Firefox or it crashes.
- Can even save a history of closed windows until you close Firefox (or even across launches!).

Limitations of CacheMyWork

CacheMyWork is only able to cache your applications, not their documents
- It's not able to save and automatically re-open the open documents for most applications (except where those applications happen to store the document's filename and path on the process's command line, such as with Notepad)
- In fact, based on my research, I'm beginning to believe that the only way to accomplish this is to install application-specific add-ins that scrape the inner "state" of the app's documents and caches that as well. I believe that's a hopeless pursuit.
CacheMyWork is only able to cache the first instance of each application that it finds.
- That is, if there are two or more of any one application running at once (e.g. when Notepad is launched twice), CacheMyWork isn't able to cache the second instance of that application.
- Based on the years of experience using CacheMyWork, I've yet to find an occasion where two instances of the same application (a) are useful enough to bother re-opening both, and (b) have a distinct process command line that *can* be cached.

New Comment on "Documentation"

lexein — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:06 GMT

Correction: Firefox 3.5+ (or 3.0 with the Session Manager add-on) ...

Updated Wiki: Home

MikeSL — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:46:46 GMT

CacheMyWork is a handy utility that lets you reboot without losing your place in your work. It builds a checklist of currently open applications, and will restart the apps you've selected the next time you logon to the computer.
Cache My Work is great for occasions when you need to unexpectedly reboot, such as on "Patch Tuesday", after installing new drivers, or when Windows runs out of Desktop Heap, Handles or GDI Objects (which happens more often than I'd like - even with the fixes described here).

If you're like me, you avoid rebooting your computer because it means you'll forget what you were working on. Every time I have to reboot because of some install/uninstall/patch, invariably I forget half of what I was working on because I don't remember all the docs and apps I have to reopen (those 5-15 minutes between "shutdown all apps" and "logged in, Windows quieted down" are huge opportunities for me to be randomized and lose my short-term memory cache).

News

Documentation

The CacheMyWork application documentation can be found here.

FAQ

(1) How was this built?

This application is written in .NET 2.0 using VB, and is currently using only in-box classes.

(2) What are the prerequisites?

The .NET 2.0 CLR is required. Tested to work on Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), and users report that it works even on Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit).

(3) There's some flaws in your application (or its source code). How can that be?

When it comes to professional-quality code development, the answer is "I'm still learning my way around .NET". :)

(4) What are the current Bugs in CacheMyWork?

Any bugs I know about are documented as either Issues or Tasks in the Issue Tracker.
If you have experienced any of the known bugs, please Vote on it in the Issue Tracker.
If you experience any bugs that I haven't documented, please submit it as a new Issue in the Issue Tracker, or open a new thread in the Discussions.

(5) What are the planned or desired Features for CacheMyWork?

All Features that I've thought of are documented as Features in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see one of these Features implemented sooner rather than later, please Vote on that Feature in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see some other Feature that I haven't documented, please add it as a new Feature to the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to submit code to help speed up the process, please submit a Patch with a code sample to me and I'll do my best to integrate it as soon as possible.

UPDATED WIKI: Home

MikeSL — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 03:04:10 GMT

News

(2008-03-22) Major update to the application Documentation here, explaining how the app works, and documenting some of the quirks I've had to deal with so far. Version 1.3 release is mere days away!
(2007-10-08) Version 1.2 installer has been uploaded - sorry about that, I really thought I'd made it available last week!
(2007-10-05) Version 1.2 is released - now with better filters, so you're only restarting apps that don't launch automatically! Get it here.
(2007-09-25) Version 1.1.1 is released - fixes the bug introduced in v1.1. It's available here

Documentation

The CacheMyWork application documentation can be found here.

FAQ

(1) How was this built?

This application is written in .NET 2.0 using VB, and is currently using only in-box classes.

(2) What are the prerequisites?

The .NET 2.0 CLR is required. I've developed & tested this on Windows Vista and Windows XP SP2, but I expect that it should work on Windows 2000 as well.

(3) There's some obvious flaws in your application (or its source code). Are you an amateur?

When it comes to professional-quality code development, the answer is "yes".

(4) What are the current Bugs in CacheMyWork?

Any bugs I know about are documented as either Issues or Tasks in the Issue Tracker.
If you have experienced any of the known bugs, please Vote on it in the Issue Tracker.
If you experience any bugs that I haven't documented, please submit it as a new Issue in the Issue Tracker, or open a new thread in the Discussions.

(5) What are the planned or desired Features for CacheMyWork?

All Features that I've thought of are documented as Features in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see one of these Features implemented sooner rather than later, please Vote on that Feature in the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to see some other Feature that I haven't documented, please add it as a new Feature to the Issue Tracker.
If you'd like to submit code to help speed up the process, please submit a Patch with a code sample to me and I'll do my best to integrate it as soon as possible.

UPDATED WIKI: System

MikeSL — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 02:24:34 GMT

Issue: the process has no command line

when I attempt to retrieve the value of the command line for the "System process" via WMI , I know that the WMI call will fail.

UPDATED WIKI: csrss

MikeSL — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 02:01:19 GMT

Issue: "Illegal characters in path"

When requesting the child properties of System.Diagnostics.Process.MainModule.FileVersionInfo for csrss.exe, the .NET runtime throws the error "Illegal characters in path" with the following stack trace:

at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission.HasIllegalCharacters(String[] str)
at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission.AddPathList(FileIOPermissionAccess access, AccessControlActions control, String[] pathListOrig, Boolean checkForDuplicates, Boolean needFullPath, Boolean copyPathList)
at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission..ctor(FileIOPermissionAccess access, String[] pathList, Boolean checkForDuplicates, Boolean needFullPath)
at System.IO.Path.GetFullPath(String path)
at System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetFullPathWithAssert(String fileName)
at System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetVersionInfo(String fileName)
at System.Diagnostics.ProcessModule.get_FileVersionInfo()
at CacheMyWork.ProcessesBusinessLogic.GetProcessDescriptiveName(Process process) in C:\personal\VS Projects\CacheMyWork\CacheMyWork\ProcessesBusinessLogic.vb:line 294
at CacheMyWork.ProcessesBusinessLogic.BuildProcessesCollection() in C:\personal\VS Projects\CacheMyWork\CacheMyWork\ProcessesBusinessLogic.vb:line 137

This is because the System.Diagnostics.Process.MainModule.FileName returned for winlogon.exe is "\??\C:\WINDOWS\system32\csrss.exe".

The only discussion I could find on the MSDN Forums that asks about this issue is this one, and I've updated the thread with the details of the issue found here.

UPDATED WIKI: winlogon

MikeSL — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:59:58 GMT

Issue: "Illegal characters in path"

When requesting the child properties of System.Diagnostics.Process.MainModule.FileVersionInfo for winlogon.exe, the .NET runtime throws the error "Illegal characters in path" with the following stack trace:

at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission.HasIllegalCharacters(String[] str)
at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission.AddPathList(FileIOPermissionAccess access, AccessControlActions control, String[] pathListOrig, Boolean checkForDuplicates, Boolean needFullPath, Boolean copyPathList)
at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission..ctor(FileIOPermissionAccess access, String[] pathList, Boolean checkForDuplicates, Boolean needFullPath)
at System.IO.Path.GetFullPath(String path)
at System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetFullPathWithAssert(String fileName)
at System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetVersionInfo(String fileName)
at System.Diagnostics.ProcessModule.get_FileVersionInfo()
at CacheMyWork.ProcessesBusinessLogic.GetProcessDescriptiveName(Process process)
at CacheMyWork.ProcessesBusinessLogic.BuildProcessesCollection()

This is because the System.Diagnostics.Process.MainModule.FileName returned for winlogon.exe is "\??\C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe".

The only discussion I could find on the MSDN Forums that asks about this issue is this one, and I've updated the thread with the details of the issue found here.

UPDATED WIKI: winlogon

MikeSL — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:39:09 GMT

Issue: "Illegal characters in path"

When requesting the child properties of System.Diagnostics.Process.MainModule.FileVersionInfo for winlogon.exe, the .NET runtime throws the error "Illegal characters in path" with the following stack trace:

at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission.HasIllegalCharacters(String[] str)
at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission.AddPathList(FileIOPermissionAccess access, AccessControlActions control, String[] pathListOrig, Boolean checkForDuplicates, Boolean needFullPath, Boolean copyPathList)
at System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission..ctor(FileIOPermissionAccess access, String[] pathList, Boolean checkForDuplicates, Boolean needFullPath)
at System.IO.Path.GetFullPath(String path)
at System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetFullPathWithAssert(String fileName)
at System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetVersionInfo(String fileName)
at System.Diagnostics.ProcessModule.get_FileVersionInfo()
at CacheMyWork.ProcessesBusinessLogic.GetProcessDescriptiveName(Process process)
at CacheMyWork.ProcessesBusinessLogic.BuildProcessesCollection()

This is because the System.Diagnostics.Process.MainModule.FileName returned for winlogon.exe is "\??\C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe".

UPDATED WIKI: System

MikeSL — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:57:49 GMT

Issue: "This process has no command line"

stack trace comes out simply as

at CacheMyWork.ProcessesBusinessLogic.GetCommandLine(Process process)
at CacheMyWork.ProcessesBusinessLogic.BuildProcessesCollection()

UPDATED WIKI: Documentation

MikeSL — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:52:51 GMT

What Does CacheMyWork Do?

CacheMyWork enables you to instruct Windows to re-launch specific applications the next time you login
CacheMyWork identifies all the applications that (a) the user has launched and (b) are visible on the Taskbar
By default, CacheMyWork will also simplify the list by removing those applications that are auto-started by Windows on behalf of the user (e.g. instant messaging applications)

How To Use CacheMyWork

Just launch CacheMyWork.exe
Select each of the applications you want launched again after you next logon
Click the Save button.

Optional Settings

Under the Tools > Hide Applications menu:

Select any "active" applications that you wish to "hide" from the main list (i.e. the list you see when you first launch CacheMyWork)
Select any previously "hidden" applications that you wish to display in the main list
Each of these choices will take effect as soon you click OK

Under the Tools > Options menu:

Allows you to enable or disable the Windows setting "Restore previous Explorer windows at next logon"
This Windows setting will cause each Explorer Window (e.g. drive, folder, share) to be opened again to the same location the next time you login
This Windows setting will be persistent - i.e. it won't require you to run CacheMyWork before each reboot (i.e. it isn't a CacheMyWork feature, but simply something from Windows that I'm exposing)
more information about this Windows setting is documented here

Information on Specific Application Caching Issues

Caching/Reboot-friendly applications

These are some applications that have specific ability to automatically re-open the documents that were open when the application was last closed:

Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm)

free, open source "replacement" for Notepad
will automatically remember and re-open any files that were open when the app last closed or crashed

Avant Browser (http://www.avantbrowser.com/) or Maxthon Browser (http://www.maxthon.com/)

free, closed-source "replacements" (Trident wrappers, actually) for Internet Explorer.
These browser enhancements uses the Internet Explorer "engine" (so you get the same page layout and compatibility with IE-friendly sites), but replace the user interface with new menus, right-click options, tabbing, caching of open tabs, and a whole lot more.

Firefox (with the Session Manager add-on)

saves multiple open tabs and windows, whether you gracefully close Firefox or it crashes.
Can even save a history of closed windows until you close Firefox (or even across launches!).

Current Limitations of CacheMyWork v1.3

CacheMyWork is only able to cache your applications, not their documents

It's not able to save and automatically re-open the open documents for most applications (except where those applications happen to store the document's filename and path on the process's command line, such as with Notepad)

Further,CacheMyWork is only able to cache the first instance of each application that it finds.

That is, if there are two or more of any one application running at once (e.g. when Notepad is launched twice), CacheMyWork isn't able to cache the second instance of that application.

UPDATED WIKI: Documentation

MikeSL — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:51:51 GMT

What Does CacheMyWork Do?

CacheMyWork enables you to instruct Windows to re-launch specific applications the next time you login
CacheMyWork identifies all the applications that (a) the user has launched and (b) are visible on the Taskbar
By default, CacheMyWork will also simplify the list by removing those applications that are auto-started by Windows on behalf of the user (e.g. instant messaging applications)

How To Use CacheMyWork

Just launch CacheMyWork.exe
Select each of the applications you want launched again after you next logon
Click the Save button.

Optional Settings

Under the Tools > Hide Applications menu:

Select any "active" applications that you wish to "hide" from the main list (i.e. the list you see when you first launch CacheMyWork)
Select any previously "hidden" applications that you wish to display in the main list
Each of these choices will take effect as soon you click OK

Under the Tools > Options menu:

Allows you to enable or disable the Windows setting "Restore previous Explorer windows at next logon"
This Windows setting will cause each Explorer Window (e.g. drive, folder, share) to be opened again to the same location the next time you login
This Windows setting will be persistent - i.e. it won't require you to run CacheMyWork before each reboot (i.e. it isn't a CacheMyWork feature, but simply something from Windows that I'm exposing)
documented here

Information on Specific Application Caching Issues

Caching/Reboot-friendly applications

These are some applications that have specific ability to automatically re-open the documents that were open when the application was last closed:

Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm)

free, open source "replacement" for Notepad
will automatically remember and re-open any files that were open when the app last closed or crashed

Avant Browser (http://www.avantbrowser.com/) or Maxthon Browser (http://www.maxthon.com/)

free, closed-source "replacements" (Trident wrappers, actually) for Internet Explorer.
These browser enhancements uses the Internet Explorer "engine" (so you get the same page layout and compatibility with IE-friendly sites), but replace the user interface with new menus, right-click options, tabbing, caching of open tabs, and a whole lot more.

Firefox (with the Session Manager add-on)

saves multiple open tabs and windows, whether you gracefully close Firefox or it crashes.
Can even save a history of closed windows until you close Firefox (or even across launches!).

Current Limitations of CacheMyWork v1.3

CacheMyWork is only able to cache your applications, not their documents

It's not able to save and automatically re-open the open documents for most applications (except where those applications happen to store the document's filename and path on the process's command line, such as with Notepad)

Further,CacheMyWork is only able to cache the first instance of each application that it finds.

That is, if there are two or more of any one application running at once (e.g. when Notepad is launched twice), CacheMyWork isn't able to cache the second instance of that application.