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One feature I miss from PStart is the ability to launch programs when the launcher starts and/or exits. For example, I have startup and shutdown batch files that I'd like to run automatically for these events. Seems like it could be something autostart could easily do.

Another feature I'd like is if autostart could set an environment variable based on the drive letter it assigns to a usb and/or secure drive. E.g. when autostart is launched from a usb drive at drive G:, set "ASusbdrive" to "G:". Or when autostart is launched from a secure drive at drive Q:, set "ASsecdrive" to "Q:".

This would enable scripts run from the usb drive and/or secure drives to correctly reference files running on those drives using absolute references, "e.g. %ASusbdrive%\Program Files\Foo\bar.exe" and "%ASsecdrive%\Program Files\Bar\baz.exe"

Otherwise great program and very useful!

I will put the second suggestion about environment variables on my to do list.

The first suggestion is also a good one, and I would have implemented it, but I'm still thinking about how I could make this safe. You see, AutoStart is not tied to a single drive, so although you may start it from a flash drive, that single program then handles all USB Flash Drives, Portable Hard Drives and TrueCrypt volumes attached to your system.

The problem I'm seeing here is that when you have autostart running and you implement the behavior you are requesting without some precautions, you just created a perfect avenue for virus and spyware writers to install stuff on your system. They just need you to save to the USB Flash Drive overriding a script there and the next time you attach that drive you are infected with something nasty.

I'm now thinking about having some kind of list of application/script fingerprints that are stored on the PC. So the first time before a script is automatically started, you need to tell the AutoStart running on your PC that it is OK to run that script. This allows you to have automatically started scripts that you explicitly approved. Now what happens when you attach an infected drive ? Now you are asked whether you'd want to start that script, allowing you at least a fighting chance of stopping this infection from happening.