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send a colored status info from a batch file, for display with the SFKTray Windows GUI tool, with the sfk status command available on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Raspberry Pi.
  • Download the free Swiss File Knife Base from Sourceforge.
  • Open the Windows CMD command line, Mac OS X Terminal or Linux shell.
  • OS X : type mv sfk-mac-64.exe sfk and chmod +x sfk then ./sfk
  • Linux: type mv sfk-linux-64.exe sfk and chmod +x sfk then ./sfk. OS X and Linux syntax may differ, check the help within the tool.
sfk status target[:port] "status text"

send a status to the SFKTray GUI tool for display.

this allows to run long scripts in background, like

-  a script that produces several output packages
-  a script that checks test devices if they're up
-  a compile making binaries for 5 architectures

and to see their current state just by small lights
in the Windows system tray. a typical use is:

-  show a yellow blinking light: a task is ongoing
-  show a green light: task completed successfully
-  show a red light: task failed

download SFKTray Free Edition now, which can
display four independent lights, by:
 
   sfk gettray

the lights are changed by the sfk status command.
the status is sent by UDP to the given target host,
or to "local" for your own machine.

statustext fields
   v1         optional protocol version
   slot=n     target slot number 1-9
     or
   pat=s      show a pattern, with s like:
               up      show an up   arrow
               down    show a down  arrow
               left    show a left  arrow
               right   show a right arrow
               all     highlight all slots
              requires SFKTray V1.1. looks best
              with the Pro version (9 lights).
   color=s    set color s as one of:
              red green blue yellow orange gray black
              you may also try:
              white cyan purple black
              but these have limited use, as they appear
              similar to other colors in the system tray.
              with SFKTray Full you may also use:
              3- or 6 digit rgb hex value
              e.g. f00 = red, dddddd = light gray
   blink=s    select 'slow' or 'fast' blink
   timeout=n  time in seconds to display status.
              if not reconfirmed in that time
              the slot color changes to gray.
   timeout=15,orange
              display status for 15 seconds
              then change slot color to orange
   text='s'   a text for display. must be surrounded
              by any delimiter not part of the text,
              normally single quotes ''
   layout=n   change layout to show 2, 4 or 9 slots.
              requires SFKTray V1.0.2 or higher.

about the target machine
   - use "local" if SFKTray runs on the same machine
   - else supply hostname or IP, optionally with :port
   - default port used by SFKTray is 21343.
     SFKTray Free cannot use a different port.
     SFKTray Full can be run with a differen port like
        sfktray -port=5000
     then use: sfk status local:5000 ...
   - use port id '2nd' or '3rd' for instance 2 or 3
     of SFKTray Full (ports 21344 and 21345).

limitations
   SFKTray Free supports 4 slots, i.e. slot=1 to slot=4.
   Only one instance can be used.

   SFKTray Full supports 9 status slots per instance,
   and can run up to 3 instances in parallel (27 lights).
   It is part of the SFK Plus bundle:
      http://stahlworks.com/sfkplus

command chaining
   is supported without any chain input or output.

please note:
   if a command behaves unexpected, compare exactly with the
   examples given below. not every typing error is detected.

examples
   sfk status local "slot=1 color=yellow text='checking service'"
      tell that a service is currently checked on slot 1
   sfk status local "slot=1 color=green timeout=15,orange text='ok'"
      tell that a service is currently running. the check must be
      repeated within 15 seconds otherwise the status times out
      and SFKTray changes the slot color to orange.
   sfk status local "slot=1 color=red blink=slow text='service offline'"
      tell about an offline service on localhost slot 1
   sfk -var for i from 1 to 9 +status local "slot=#(i) color=gray" +endfor
      reset all status slots
   sfk status local "pat=up color=green blink=fast timeout=10"
      show a blinking up arrow for 10 seconds. requires SFKTray V1.1
      and looks best with the Pro version (9 lights layout).
   sfk status local:3rd "pat=up color=green blink=fast timeout=10"
      with SFKTray Full: show blinking up arrow in 3rd instance.

 

sfk status target[:port] "status text"

send a status to the SFKTray GUI tool for 
display.

this allows to run long scripts in 
background, like

-  a script that produces several output 
   packages
-  a script that checks test devices if 
   they're up
-  a compile making binaries for 5 
   architectures

and to see their current state just by 
small lights in the Windows system tray. a
typical use is:

-  show a yellow blinking light: a task is 
   ongoing
-  show a green light: task completed 
                       successfully
-  show a red light: task failed

download SFKTray Free Edition now, which can
display four independent lights, by:
 
   sfk gettray

the lights are changed by the sfk status 
command. the status is sent by UDP to the
given target host, or to "local" for your
own machine.

statustext fields
   v1         optional protocol version
   slot=n     target slot number 1-9
     or
   pat=s      show a pattern, with s like:
               up      show an up   arrow
               down    show a down  arrow
               left    show a left  arrow
               right   show a right arrow
               all     highlight all slots
              requires SFKTray V1.1. 
              looks best with the Pro
              version (9 lights).
   color=s    set color s as one of:
              red green blue yellow orange 
              gray black you may also try:
              white cyan purple black but
              these have limited use, as
              they appear similar to other
              colors in the system tray.
              with SFKTray Full you may
              also use: 3- or 6 digit rgb
              hex value e.g. f00 = red,
              dddddd = light gray
   blink=s    select 'slow' or 'fast' blink
   timeout=n  time in seconds to display 
              status. if not reconfirmed in
              that time the slot color
              changes to gray.
   timeout=15,orange
              display status for 15 seconds
              then change slot color to 
              orange
   text='s'   a text for display. must be 
              surrounded by any delimiter
              not part of the text,
              normally single quotes ''
   layout=n   change layout to show 2, 4 or 
              9 slots. requires SFKTray V1.
              0.2 or higher.

about the target machine
   - use "local" if SFKTray runs on the 
     same machine
   - else supply hostname or IP, optionally 
     with :port
   - default port used by SFKTray is 21343.
     SFKTray Free cannot use a 
     different port. SFKTray Full can be
     run with a differen port like
        sfktray -port=5000
     then use: sfk status local:5000 ...
   - use port id '2nd' or '3rd' for 
     instance 2 or 3 of SFKTray Full (ports
     21344 and 21345).

limitations
   SFKTray Free supports 4 slots, i.e. 
   slot=1 to slot=4. Only one instance can
   be used.

   SFKTray Full supports 9 status slots per 
   instance, and can run up to 3 instances
   in parallel (27 lights). It is part of
   the SFK Plus bundle:
      http://stahlworks.com/sfkplus

command chaining
   is supported without any chain input or 
   output.

please note:
   if a command behaves unexpected, compare 
   exactly with the examples given below.
   not every typing error is detected.

examples sfk status local "slot=1 color=yellow text='checking service'" tell that a service is currently checked on slot 1 sfk status local "slot=1 color=green timeout=15,orange text='ok'" tell that a service is currently running. the check must be repeated within 15 seconds otherwise the status times out and SFKTray changes the slot color to orange. sfk status local "slot=1 color=red blink=slow text='service offline'" tell about an offline service on localhost slot 1 sfk -var for i from 1 to 9 +status local "slot=#(i) color=gray" +endfor reset all status slots sfk status local "pat=up color=green blink=fast timeout=10" show a blinking up arrow for 10 seconds. requires SFKTray V1.1 and looks best with the Pro version (9 lights layout). sfk status local:3rd "pat=up color=green blink=fast timeout=10" with SFKTray Full: show blinking up arrow in 3rd instance.

you are viewing this page in mobile portrait mode with a limited layout. turn your device right, use a desktop browser or buy the sfk e-book for improved reading.

 
sfk is a free open-source tool, running instantly without installation efforts. no DLL's, no registry changes - just get sfk.exe from the zip package and use it (binaries for windows, linux and mac are included).

 

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