Execute Batch File without Command line visible - batch-file

I have to run a batch file without showing the command line but the Command line keeps on popping up. This is my code:
#echo off
:SAMPLE
cd /d C:
md %RANDOM%
cd /d D:
md %RANDOM%
cd /d E:
md %RANDOM%
goto SAMPLE

Solution-1:
Save your code in a batch file lets say My.bat
Create a VBScript file lets say Master.vbs and call your My.bat file within it.
Lets assume your batch file is at C:\Test\My.bat then:
Master.vbs:
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run chr(34) & "C:\Test\My.bat" & Chr(34), 0
Set WshShell = Nothing
It'll run your batch file in invisible/hidden mode.
Solution-2:
If at all possible, modify the batch file to run whatever program with the start command. By default, start returns immediately without waiting for the program to exit, so the batch file will continue to run and, presumably, exit immediately. Couple that with modifying your shortcut to run the batch file minimized, and you’ll only see the taskbar flash without even seeing a window onscreen.

The following sample code works
start cmd /c "some command && exit 0"
The trick is => && exit 0

you can use the redirect in the following way:
#echo off
:SAMPLE
cd /d C:
md %RANDOM% >nul 2>&1
cd /d D:
md %RANDOM% >nul 2>&1
cd /d E:
md %RANDOM% >nul 2>&1
goto SAMPLE
Got this from: Suppress command line output

Related

Need a little tip on batch files

I'm very new to coding and iI'm having a problem that is probably trivial, but is making me pull out my hair.
I'm using a batch script to automate mounting a VHD, executing a file inside and then pause until the user presses any key, which makes the VHD get unmounted and the script exits.
This is the main batch file:
#echo off
set fileVHD=Gord
CD /D "%~dp0"
powershell -command "Start-Process mount.cmd '%~dp0%fileVHD%.vhd' -Verb runas"
timeout /t 1
for /f %%D in ('wmic volume get DriveLetter^, Label ^| find "%fileVHD%"') do set usb=%%D
CD /D %usb%
index.html
echo "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Press any key to fully close this program.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
pause
CD /D "%~dp0"
powershell -command "Start-Process unmount.cmd '%~dp0%fileVHD%.vhd' -Verb runas"
exit
This is the mount script (Not made by me):
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
if "%~1"=="" (
echo Usage: %~nx0 [vhd] [letter]
exit /b 1
)
set "vhdPath=%~dpnx1"
set "driveLetter=%2"
if "!driveLetter!"=="" (
echo Mounting "!vhdPath!"
) else (
echo Mounting "!vhdPath!" to "!driveLetter!":
)
REM
REM create diskpart script
REM
set "diskPartScript=%~nx0.diskpart"
echo select vdisk file="!vhdPath!">"!diskPartScript!"
echo attach vdisk>>"!diskPartScript!"
REM assign the drive letter if requested
if not "!driveLetter!"=="" (
echo select partition 1 >>"!diskPartScript!"
echo assign letter="!driveLetter!">>"!diskPartScript!"
)
REM Show script
echo.
echo Running diskpart script:
type "!diskPartScript!"
REM
REM diskpart
REM
diskpart /s "!diskPartScript!"
del /q "!diskPartScript!"
echo Done!
endlocal
When all the files are located in a system path that contains no spaces, everything works fine. But it breaks where there are spaces.
That means that somewhere in the code a path is badly defined by the lack of quotes, probably in the mount script. The trouble is that i don't fully grasp the mount script when it starts using all the "%~...." variable path names.
I had to mix in some powershell commands because for some reason the script wouldn't work unless executed as Administrator.
If someone could give some insight to a newbie, it would be greatly appreciated.
You need end quotes around your parameters when you change directory, i.e.
CD /D "%~dp0"
You can also see all of the %~ options by running 'help for' in a console window. In those scripts it's getting the path or filename from a variable.
Discovered the root of my problem.
The path from script 1 was not being passed faithfully to script 2, even using using quotes or multiquotes.
Thanks for all the input guys!

Same batch code runs successfully in 2nd attempt, why fails in 1st attempt

#echo off
Call :YesNoBox "Press yes or no"
if "%YesNo%"=="6" (
set backupdir=D:\BackupEmail\
cd /d %backupdir%
set folder=%date:~10,4%_%date:~4,2%_%date:~7,2%_%time:~0,2%_%time:~3,2%_%time:~6,2%
mkdir %folder%
echo %folder% created
cd /d %folder%
mkdir Thunderbird
cd Thunderbird
set backupcmd=xcopy /s/h/i/c/k/e/r/y
echo ### Backing Up ...
%backupcmd% "C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\*" "%backupdir%\%folder%\Thunderbird\"
echo Backup Completed!
echo "Deleting Temp files".
del /s /f /q \Windows\Temp\*.*
cmd /k
)
exit
:: Design for pop up window
exit /b
:YesNoBox
REM returns 6 = Yes, 7 = No. Type=4 = Yes/No
set YesNo=
set MsgType=4
set heading=%~2
set message=%~1
echo wscript.echo msgbox(WScript.Arguments(0),%MsgType%,WScript.Arguments(1)) >"%temp%\input.vbs"
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%a in ('cscript //nologo "%temp%\input.vbs" "%message%" "%heading%"') do set YesNo=%%a
exit /b
:MessageBox
set heading=%~2
set message=%~1
echo msgbox WScript.Arguments(0),0,WScript.Arguments(1) >"%temp%\input.vbs"
cscript //nologo "%temp%\input.vbs" "%message%" "%heading%"
exit /b
I used notepad++ to save this code
Output received in command prompt:
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
The syntax of the command is incorrect.
created
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
A subdirectory or file Thunderbird already exists.
Here Thunderbird folder is created where the bat file exists, however it should have been created in "BackupEmail" folder in drive D.
When i ran it again on the same command prompt it runs successfully
What this characteristic indicates is that on the first execution there is a variable which is not set but its value is being used - normally in a if statement. However, executing the first time is establishing a value for the variable, so on the second run, the syntax is correct.
It is customary to include a setlocal command immediately after the #echo off. This makes sure that when the code is complete, any changes made to the environment are discarded. In this case, because you have no setlocal command, the variable's value is retained for the second run.
The problem with your code is the #1 FAQ - please search for delayed expansion using the search facility. The variable folder is not established when the if "%YesNo%"=="6" instruction is executed, hence on the first occasion
%folder% has no value BUT it is assigned a value within the code block and it retains that value for the second run (since there is no selocal to discard it).

Oneliner to wait for a file to be created

I need a oneliner to wait for a file until it is created.
Is there a way to write that as a windows batch command? I cant have GOTO in it because I use pushd.
something like:
IF NOT EXIST \\blablabal\myfile.txt sleep(30)
The solution below is a one-liner that should be executed at the command-prompt, as requested (a Batch file is not a "one-liner"):
cmd /C for /L %i in () do if not exist \\blablabal\myfile.txt (timeout /T 30 ^>NUL) else exit
If you wish, you may insert this line in a Batch file doubling the percent sign.
I'd suppose that you want to avoid goto statement and :label inside a parenthesized code block. Use call as follows:
(
rem some code here
call :waitForFile
rem another code here
)
rem yet another code here
rem next `goto` skips `:waitForFile` subroutine; could be `goto :eof` as well
goto :nextcode
:waitForFile
IF EXIST \\blablabal\myfile.txt goto :eof
TIMEOUT /T 30 >NUL
goto :waitForFile
:nextcode
However, if you need a oneliner to wait for a file until it is created, written as a windows batch script: save next code snippet as waitForFile.bat
#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL EnableExtensions
:waitForFile
IF EXIST "%~1" ENDLOCAL & goto :eof
TIMEOUT /T 30 >NUL
goto :waitForFile
Use it as follows:
from command line window: waitForFile "\\blablabal\myfile.txt"
from another batch script: call waitForFile "\\blablabal\myfile.txt"
Be sure that waitForFile.bat is present in current directory or somewhere in path environment variable.
cmd /c "#echo off & for /l %z in () do (if EXIST c:\file.ext exit)"
Hammers the cpu though...

How to stop a bat file from running if there is no response

I have a bat file that I created, it adds keys to the windows registry and then calls another bat file, QGIS.bat (this bat file starts an application called QGIS).
It works most of the time but every now and then, when it calls QGIS.bat nothing happens, the command window stays open but QGIS (started by the QGIS.bat file) will not start.
In the command window(cmd) all it says is call .\usbgis\apps\qgis\bin\qgis.bat
(Just a note QGIS is a portable application that runs from a USB memory stick, might that be part of the problem?)
So my question. Is there a way you can terminate a bat file if it douse not close in 3 min or if the other bat file douse not start?
Thanks,
This is what I'm talking about in my comment:
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set sPath=C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer
set sprog=iexplore.exe
set inc=0
:loop
if exist "%sPath%\%sProg%" (echo %sProg%) else exit /b
set /a inc+=1
if "!inc!" equ "30" (Echo Exiting & exit /b)
for /f %%a in (
'tasklist /NH /FI "Imagename eq %sProg%"^|findstr /i "INFO:"') do (
if not errorlevel 1 (
ping -n 11 127.0.0.1>nul
goto :loop
)
)
Obviously change the path and file to match yours. I just needed something for testing here.

Command for getting the file size

Could anybody please tell me a shell command for Windows 7 which would take a file path as argument and return the size of that file - Something like:
fileSize.cmd file.txt
...which will give me 1KB.
One question in SO noted the command echo %~z1, but for this, I have to write a separate batch file and use this command in it. I was thinking of modifying my existing bat file and incorporate this command somehow. My batch file looks like this:
p4 diff //sources/j2cs/output.txt >> diff_out.txt
I have to add above command in the existing bat file to find the file size of diff_out.txt.
You don't need an extra batch file, you could move your filename into %1 with a call to a function or you can use a FOR loop.
call :getFilesize diff_out.txt
echo %fileSize%
exit /b
:getFilesize
set filesize=%~z1
exit /b
Or
for %%A in (diff_out.txt) do set fileSize=%%~zA
another variant:
#echo off
set file=c:\bookmarks.html
%1 %0 :: %file%
set len=%~z2
echo %len%
pause
or with wmic:
D:\>set wql="drive='g:' and filename='function2' and extension='txt'"
D:\>wmic path cim_datafile where %wql% get name,filesize
FileSize Name
621 g:\function2.txt
D:\>
or:
set file=G:\function2.txt
echo set len=%%~z1 >_tmp.bat
call _tmp.bat %file% && del _tmp.bat
echo %len%

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