ProxHTTPSProxy and HTTPSProxy in Windows XP for future use

[AstroSkipper]

6 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

6 hours ago, Dave-H said:

Just an update on the delay problem.
If I put ProxHTTPSProxy.bat in the registry run key, the proxy starts immediately on boot as normal.
So it's not a problem with the proxy itself, it's an issue specifically with ProxHTTPSProxy.exe.
I thought perhaps that the path to the files needed to be in the PATH environment variable, but when I looked, it was already there, so it's not that!

Expand  

Unfortunately, that's no solution! The starter program ProxHTTPSProxy.bat was created by @cmalex and does not have the feature of ProxHTTPSProxy's automatic activation and deactivation in IE's proxy settings.  Check the LAN settings, and you will see! I already tried it and modified it without any success, so far. That's the reason I created my own starter program. 

@Dave-H All @cmalex's original files for starting the proxy don't provide any automatic proxy settings. In these cases, you have to set up the proxy manually. You see it's a bit more complicated as it seems.  Anyway, my starter program StartProxy.exe is working, and therefore it's not buggy. But, as already mentioned, I'll try some new code when time is available. Actually, the start delay does make sense, though.  In your case, you also have to delay the autotart of your email program Eudora to avoid problems. 

Edited August 1, 2022 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

Yes of course, I wasn't putting that forward as a solution!
It was just to demonstrate that the proxy itself can run immediately on boot, it's just ProxHTTPSProxy.exe which seems to have the problem.

In fact I've now put StartProxy.exe in the registry run key instead of the batch file, and that works fine too, probably a better thing to do than directly running the batch file.
I assume it's the same as invoking 'StartProxHTTPSProxy' in PopMenu.
In fact if I run it that way, both ProxHTTPSProxy.exe and python37.exe are running in the Task Manager.
That surprised me a bit, as I had assumed that ProxHTTPSProxy.exe would not run in that configuration.

[AstroSkipper]

4 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

I assume it's the same as invoking 'StartProxHTTPSProxy' in PopMenu.

Correct!

6 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

In fact if I run it that way, both ProxHTTPSProxy.exe and python37.exe are running in the Task Manager.
That surprised me a bit, as I had assumed that ProxHTTPSProxy.exe would not run in that configuration.

My starter program StartProxy.exe calls the file ProxHTTPSProxy.exe in the main folder, which then calls ProxHTTPSProxy.bat, which in turn calls python37.exe. No mystery! You can see the process tree in your task manager. 

[Dave-H]

Ah right!

So is there any disadvantage in starting things on boot by running StartProxy.exe instead of ProxHTTPSProxy.exe?

[AstroSkipper]

4 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

Correct!

My starter program StartProxy.exe calls the file ProxHTTPSProxy.exe in the main folder, which then calls ProxHTTPSProxy.bat, which in turn calls python37.exe. No mystery! You can see the process tree in your task manager. 

@Dave-H And, there is no way to shorten this process tree. @cmalex tried to program the feature of automatic activation and deactivation in Python, but the file was about 18 MB, and he did not like that.  My file, on the other hand, is very small.  

Edited August 1, 2022 by AstroSkipper

[AstroSkipper]

4 hours ago, Dave-H said:

Ah right!

So is there any disadvantage in starting things on boot by running StartProxy.exe instead of ProxHTTPSProxy.exe?

No, only advantages! When you execute my starter program StartProxy.exe, it doesn't matter whether manually or via autostart, the proxy will be activated automatically in the LAN settings of IE, and after closing, deactivated automatically, too.  In the case, you would start the proxy by executing ProxHTTPSProxy.exe, no automatic activation or deactivation will be done, unfortunately. Once again, that's the reason I created my own starter program StartProxy.exe. 

Edited August 1, 2022 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

That's good to know!
Automatic deactivation doesn't actually matter for me anyway as I always have the proxy running all the time.

[AstroSkipper]

3 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

That's good to know!
Automatic deactivation doesn't actually matter for me anyway as I always have the proxy running all the time.

But automatic activation! 

[AstroSkipper]

27 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

That's good to know!
Automatic deactivation doesn't actually matter for me anyway as I always have the proxy running all the time.

As a creator of such a program package, you have to think of all users. Clicking to start the proxy has to activate its settings automatically, and closing it, has to deactivate and to clean up its settings automatically, too.  Maybe, the user uses other proxies, too. 

PS: But I thought of you, too. I knew from the previous beta test that you need to run the proxy at Windows startup. That was the reason I wrote in the documentation about the autostart of ProxHTTPSProxy and its delay!  Frankly, I do not use or need this feature, but on the other hand, a working and meaningful feature is worth to implement. I will do that in the next release. 

Edited August 1, 2022 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

Absolutely, I can see exactly why you've done what you've done.
For the majority of people, it's absolutely the right way to go.
They would have no problem with Min2Tray either, I've just got so used to being able to call up the proxy window with one click on its icon in the tray, and then hiding it with another click on the same icon, that anything different, even one extra click, seems disadvantageous.

Oh, and thanks for thinking of me!

[AstroSkipper]

3 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

I've just got so used to being able to call up the proxy window with one click on its icon in the tray, and then hiding it with another click on the same icon, that anything different, even one extra click, seems disadvantageous.

I knew that, too! We are all creatures of habit! 

5 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

Oh, and thanks for thinking of me!

You're very welcome! 
 

[AstroSkipper]

Spoken for me only, I use mainly the popmenu to control the proxy. But clicking and hotkeys, too!  Just as it happens! 

Edited August 1, 2022 by AstroSkipper
addition

[AstroSkipper]

So, I'll draw a short interim conclusion. As far as I can see, my program package works exactly as described in the documentation. It runs under Windows XP 32 Bit as well as 64 Bit. This was confirmed by @Dave-H, @mina7601, and @NotHereToPlayGames. All further considerations refer to future features. Very good! Then we've already done quite a bit. Let's see what else @George King has to report! 
And, of course, you can keep testing until the box smokes! 

Edited August 1, 2022 by AstroSkipper

[mina7601]

@AstroSkipper I want to report a minority: In the Read Me First file, you wrote Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable.

I recommend changing it to Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (the last official working version is 16.7, and its file versions are 14.27, while the last unofficial working version is 16.9, and its file versions are 14.28), since that's the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable version you can install for XP.

Edited August 2, 2022 by mina7601

[AstroSkipper]

2 hours ago, mina7601 said:

@AstroSkipper I want to report a minority: In the Read Me First file, you wrote Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable.

I recommend changing it to Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (the last official working version is 16.7, and its file versions are 14.27, while the last unofficial working version is 16.9, and its file versions are 14.28), since that's the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable version you can install for XP.

Thanks @mina7601 for your addition! I just wrote Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable because that was the information I got from @cmalex. In my system, I already installed Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable, therefore I did not need to install a further version of Microsoft Visual C++. But the more recent the more better, at least for essential system files. 

Edited August 2, 2022 by AstroSkipper
correction