create a popup reminder using batch file

Hi Greg S, I'm so stoked you got it to work! Unfortunately it's still not working for me. Can you confirm I have the code correct:

setalarm.bat:

@ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
SET _t=%1
SET _d=%2 %3 %4 %5
SET _x=%_d: =%
IF NOT DEFINED _t (SET /P _t=Enter the time: )
IF NOT DEFINED _x (SET /p _d=Enter the description: )
IF NOT DEFINED _d (SET /p _d=Enter the description: )
ECHO. reminder at %_t% to %_d%
at \\%COMPUTERNAME% %_t% /interactive cmd /c C:\windows\showalarm "%_d%"

showalarm.bat:

@echo off
cls
echo.
echo.
echo %1
echo.
echo.
pause

They are both in C:\Windows. I can still run setalarm.bat and enter the details but nothing happens when it reaches the set time although in Task Scheduler it says it's running.

You didn't mention whether you had also changed "configure for" when you got it to work. I have tried with and without changing it but it makes no difference. But even if that worked it would defeat the purpose because it would still involve more than just running the batch file.

After running setalarm I can briefly see a warning before the cmd window closes. After recording it to video I can read it:



Any further thoughts would be gratefully accepted.

kiwichick said:

Hi Greg S, I'm so stoked you got it to work! Unfortunately it's still not working for me. Can you confirm I have the code correct:

setalarm.bat:

@ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
SET _t=%1
SET _d=%2 %3 %4 %5
SET _x=%_d: =%
IF NOT DEFINED _t (SET /P _t=Enter the time: )
IF NOT DEFINED _x (SET /p _d=Enter the description: )
IF NOT DEFINED _d (SET /p _d=Enter the description: )
ECHO. reminder at %_t% to %_d%
at \\%COMPUTERNAME% %_t% /interactive cmd /c C:\windows\showalarm "%_d%"

showalarm.bat:

@echo off
cls
echo.
echo.
echo %1
echo.
echo.
pause

They are both in C:\Windows. I can still run setalarm.bat and enter the details but nothing happens when it reaches the set time although in Task Scheduler it says it's running.

You didn't mention whether you had also changed "configure for" when you got it to work. I have tried with and without changing it but it makes no difference. But even if that worked it would defeat the purpose because it would still involve more than just running the batch file.

After running setalarm I can briefly see a warning before the cmd window closes. After recording it to video I can read it:



Any further thoughts would be gratefully accepted.

Yes it's correct. It seems that you have found out what I had typed in my last reply but I deleted it at the last moment. I have a feeling that each time you run setalarm.bat, it will create a new task in scheduler which will cause you more extra steps each time. Getting it to work for me went like this, launch setalarm.bat, after that go into task scheduler and change the Configure for: to Win 7 and I also had to add me as a User instead of the default System. The adding of User is just above the Configure for:

Thanks yet again Greg S, I don't understand what you mean about adding you as a user. Can you please explain how you did that? I see the Change User button but when I open it I don't see how to add me. But as I said before, if I have to change settings and things every time I run the setalarm.bat, it defeats the purpose of having it. I may as well just use Task Scheduler itself.

kiwichick said:

Thanks yet again Greg S, I don't understand what you mean about adding you as a user. Can you please explain how you did that? I see the Change User button but when I open it I don't see how to add me. But as I said before, if I have to change settings and things every time I run the setalarm.bat, it defeats the purpose of having it. I may as well just use Task Scheduler itself.

After clicking the button, type Users inside that box and on the right, select Check Names. Your user name should pop into view, click it once and select OK. That's from memory so post back if it doesn't work for you and I can give more specifics and screenshots

I'm getting really bummed now I'm sure I've done everything as you instructed but it still won't work. Here are screenshots of At1 in Task Scheduler.

kiwichick said:

I'm getting really bummed now I'm sure I've done everything as you instructed but it still won't work. Here are screenshots of At1 in Task Scheduler.

If you have done the two steps mentioned in my last reply, right click At1 and select End. Open task manager and make sure cmd is not running, if it is, end the process. Back in task scheduler, select Refresh, next right click At1 again but this time select Run. This is to see if it will run when invoked. If it will run by doing that, then it will run if you adjust the time for say one minute later. If you haven't done the two steps mentioned earlier, let me know.

well the screenshots were supposed to be for you to confirm I had done those steps but never mind. I'm over it. As I've said before, if it requires all this mucking around to make it work, it defeats the purpose. I'll look for some kind of third-party software that doesn't require too much input to set a reminder. Thanks for all your help Greg S. You've been absolutely amazing.

The last post here was 1695 days ago, but I was having the same problem and came up with the following solution:

It's not a batch, but a vbs. To use it, copy the text between the dotted lines and paste it into notepad. Then save the file as "reminder.vbs" (don't forget to switch the file type to "all files"). Then, double click the "reminder.vbs" script and try it out. Note: you will have to enter the time in minutes, so if you want a reminder set for 6:00am, and it's 4:00am when you create the reminder, enter the time as "120".

------------------------------------------------
'ask for info to be reminded about
strUserIn = InputBox("Remind me to: ")
'and in how many minutes
intUserIn = InputBox("In X minutes. X =")
'confirmation
wscript.echo "Ok, I'll remind you to " & strUserIn & " in " & intUserIn & " minutes."
'wait the specified number of minutes
wscript.sleep (intUserIn*60000)

'play a sound
strSoundFile = "C:\Windows\Media\Speech On.wav"
Set objShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
strCommand = "wmplayer.exe /play /close " & chr(34) & strSoundFile & chr(34)
objShell.Run strCommand, 0, false
'display reminder
MsgBox "Don't forget to " & strUserIn & "!"

'script by adam1
------------------------------------------------------

I hope this helps someone out there.
It's just a quick, simple way to set reminders for yourself.