Script for pinging remote computer

[leader]

Hi,

I need some help in creating a script.
I have a few remote controlled computers, which I access through a server connection. They are connected to a web-controlled remote reboot powerstrip, in case one of them "freezes" and requires rebooting.
I want to create a script in which I periodiaclly "ping" each computer, and if the connection is timed out I can then automatically trigger a remote reboot to that computer. I have managed to create a macro that will open a comand prompt window and will ping a certain IP address. How do I create a conditional command that if the words "Timed Out" appear on the screen then, continue on to the next command, and if theses words do not apear to stop?

Thanks for your help,

Noam Leader
Rockefeller University

[Bob Hansen]

HI Leader.....here is an approach that may work for you.

You could do a normal ping and redirect results to a file. Use FIND /C with PING to filter the results. You will end up with a file that shows the number of lines with the phrase you are looking for. Then read the file and check results, 0 = phrase not found.

Something like this:

Label>PingTest
Run Program>command.com /c ping 192.168.100.50 | find /c "timed out" > pingtest.txt
ReadLn>pingtest.txt,1,Count
If>Count>0,TimedOut
//Enter x=seconds for delay before repeating pingtest
Wait>x
Goto>PingTest

Label>TimedOut
Message>192.168.100.50 Timed Out
Goto>End

Label>End

Notes:
1. This example is untested, off the top of my head.
2. You could also make the IP a variable and loop through a string of IPs.
3. You could also check for No Reply, or for other phrases you are interested in, and respond to each condition differently. Just make a loop to do ping | find > testfile for each phrase, check result, and continue loop for next phrase until all phrases are checked. Could break out of loop as soon as one phrase shows disconnect.

Hope this helps....good luck

[armsys]

Hi Bob,

Personally, I'm not a great fan of infinite iterations. To impose the limit, I add a few commands in your script:

Let>Count=0
Label>PingTest
Run Program>command.com /c ping 192.168.100.50 | find /c "timed out" > pingtest.txt
ReadLn>pingtest.txt,1,Count
If>Count>0,TimedOut
//Enter x=seconds for delay before repeating pingtest
Wait>x
Add>Count,1
If>Count>8,End
Goto>PingTest

Label>TimedOut
Message>192.168.100.50 Timed Out
Goto>End

Label>End

Instead, I would use Macro Scheduler Main Menu to schedule the ping test, maybe, every 10 minutes.

[Guest]

Thanks Armstrong, but I need to modify your version now. You are using Count which I was already using as the result of reading the file. So I will change your Count to Loops

Let>Loops=0

Label>PingTest
Run Program>command.com /c ping 192.168.100.50 | find /c "timed out" >
pingtest.txt
ReadLn>pingtest.txt,1,Count
If>Count>0,TimedOut
//Enter x=seconds for delay before repeating pingtest
Wait>x
Add>Loops,1
If>Loops>8,End
Goto>PingTest

Label>TimedOut
Message>192.168.100.50 Timed Out
Goto>End

Label>End

Also a good suggestion to schedule to run every X mins as an option to having the macro run continuously and testing every Wait>x seconds. What a team!

[Bob Hansen]

Sorry, I was not logged in when I sent the last reply that modified Armstrong's modification of my script.