Automatically Running WinWedge on PC Startup or with a Specific Configuration

This article explains different methods to run WinWedge automatically, either when you start your PC or by launching it with a specific configuration file.

Before You Start: Understanding WinWedge Configuration Files

WinWedge saves its settings to files with the “.SW3” extension. These configuration files contain all your setup parameters, including port settings, data parsing rules, and activation status. When you double-click on a WinWedge .sw3 file, WinWedge will launch and activate using those configuration settings. To edit an existing configuration file, you can launch WinWedge from the Start menu, then use the “File” menu to find and open your configuration file.

Tips:

• To prevent accidental changes to important configuration files, consider setting them as “Read Only.” To do this, right-click on the file, select “Properties,” check the “Read Only” box in the Attributes section, and click OK.
• If you want WinWedge to remain hidden after launch, enable “Minimize on Activation” under the “Activate” menu of WinWedge Setup while editing your configuration file. Be sure to click “File” > “Save” after making this change.

Method 1: Using the Windows startup folder

To have WinWedge launch automatically with a specific configuration when Windows starts:

1. Open the Windows Startup folder by pressing Windows+R, typing shell:startup (for current user) or shell:common startup (for all users), and pressing Enter.
2. Create a shortcut to either your WinWedge configuration file or the WinWedge executable (“WinWedge.exe,” usually located in C:\Program Files (x86)) and place it in the Startup folder.
3. The next time Windows starts, WinWedge will automatically load your shortcut.

Method 2: Running WinWedge as a Windows Scheduled Task

For more control over when and how WinWedge runs:

1. Open the Windows Task Scheduler (search for it in the Start menu)
2. Create a new task that launches WinWedge.exe or your configuration file.
3. Set the trigger to “At startup” or “At log on”

Important notes

• When running WinWedge through Task Scheduler or as a service, it may run invisibly in the background without a taskbar icon.
• Avoid launching a second instance of WinWedge if it’s already running in the background.
• If you can’t see WinWedge but suspect it’s running, check the Windows Task Manager to confirm.