How to make an app auto relaunch if it quits - need some advice....

Question

Hi all,
I came across this bit of advice regarding creating a script (I think) that will tell a specific app to relaunch if it unexpectedly quits: http://www.macworld.com/article/57451/2007/04/autorestart.html
It gives instructions using a program called "Lingon", but this appears to be an earlier version, because the latest version I've downloaded for Leopard seems to have different options. Despite this I've tried to work around the instructions but am failing it appears.
I am not experienced in this area and would appreciate someone giving me some pointers int he right direction, as I believe this potentially a simple thing to do.
In Lingon you have 3 main windows:
In Window 1 I have: "com.jamiemartin.C4DServerLauncher"
In Window 2 I have: "/Applications/MAXON/CINEMA\ 4D\ R9/C4D\ Server"
In Window 3 I have: "Run it every 1 minute"
The reson I have selected "Run it every 1 minute" in section 3 is that I have multipled crash logs for the C4D Server app, so don't know which one to select for the program to recognise the file being modified (when it unexpectedly quits) as is in the original instructions. I assumed this would be a workaround?
Also, what do I do after I have saved this? Do I have to leave Lingon open for it to work, or has it saved this script somewhere?
So, I am probably way off the mark, but if anyone can put me back on track I'd greaty appreciate it.
Thank you in advance. Jme

Answer 1

frankiej60 wrote:
OS info updated. Hadn't noticed it wasn't up to date.
Thanks for the guidance V.K. I did restart the computer (twice) but to no avail - it didn't do anything. And yes, you're right about the possibility of it being the frontmost app every minute being potentially annoying! Hadn't considered that. I didn't follow the original instructions of selecting a crash log as the file to check, as I assume that that wouldn't work, as whenever the app crashes it creates a new crash log instead, so it would, in theory, never recognise a change in the script (as it would be looking at the previous crash log), and thus never realise the app has quit? Or have I got that wrong?
I'm not sure how the logs are filed. I assumed that the author of that macworld article checked it out and the crash logs are appended to a fixed file. if a new log file is created every time this will of course not work. the alternative is to have the launch daemon watch the whole crash reporter folder instead of a single file. this way the application in question will launch every time ANY application crashes but that seems like an acceptable workaround.
Also, I notice the instructions say that you need to go deeper than selecting just the app itself, but delve into the package contents, but on this version of Lingon I don't have that option.
yes it does and you have to do as the article says. in fact this has nothing to do with Lingon at all. we are talking about the application you are watching not Lingon. control-click on the application you are watching and select "show package contents". go to Contents->Mac OS and drag the unix executable file to filed 2 in Lingon.
Is this the root of the problem for it not working for me?
yes.
Also, where does it store this script once I've saved it?
in ~/Library/LaunchAgents. ~ means your home directory.
Thanks again in advance. It's a steep learning curve for me!
Jme
Message was edited by: V.K.