Change Program Priority

Available in: Actual Window Manager, Actual Window Guard, Actual Title Buttons, Actual Window Menu.

The Change Program Priority action allows you to control the allocation of processing resources on your computer. As a multi-tasking operating system Windows® allows you to run multiple programs simultaneously, but since most computers have only one central processor this means Windows® must divide the total amount of work the processor must perform between those programs. While each application has a priority which is automatically determined by Windows® the default allocation of resources among running tasks doesn't always provide maximum system productivity.

Priority level determines how much of the processor's time will be allocated to a particular task, subject to the following values:

• Low - can be used for programs that monitor the system with low priority refresh rates, such as screen savers or applications that only periodically update a display.
• Below Normal,
• Normal,
• Above Normal - most useful and appropriate for controlling day-to-day operations.
• High - should be used with care. If a program runs at the High priority level for extended periods then other programs on the system won't receive an appropriate share of processor time. If your application performs a task which requires the High priority while the rest of its tasks are Normal priority, raise the priority of the application temporarily; then reduce it after the time-critical task has been completed.
• Real-Time - can be appropriate for applications that "talk" directly to the hardware or those which perform brief tasks with limited interruptions. As such this value should be used with extreme caution by experienced users only, since improper use can interfere with system-critical processes that manage mouse and keyboard input, background disk flushing, etc.

Hint  The Change Program Priority action allows you to assign a lower priority to minimized and inactive applications, enabling you to provide more central processor time to your more urgent programs "on-the-fly" as changing circumstances dictate.

Related actions: Minimize, Minimize Alternatively (AltMin).

Possible triggers: Title Buttons, Window Menu, Startup, Deactivation, Minimization.