Issues trying to close a bat file from a vbs script - vbscript

Question

i'm trying to help my little brother with a vbs script file, i've never used vbs, and i'm having serious issues on finding out how to end a bat file that i've opened with the vbs script after 2 seconds
I've tried terminate but it doesn't work, even running another shell with taskkill and the name of process but nothing
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run "C:\\Users\me\Desktop\Samples\t.bat"
Wscript.Sleep 2000`
I would like the bat file to close itself after 2 seconds

Answer 1

Use the Exec command instead of Run.
https://ss64.com/vb/exec.html
"Unlike .Run method, .Exec returns an object which returns additional information about the process started."
This example uses cmd.exe /k (the /k will keep the cmd.exe window open, which will be killed after your 2 second timeout even if your bat script logic finishes before that)
Dim shll : Set shll = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set Rt = shll.Exec("cmd.exe /k C:\Temp\test.bat") : wscript.sleep 2000 :
Rt.Terminate
If you want to return the output of the bat script you will need to read this WScript.Shell.Exec - read output from stdout, and use logic similar to:
Const WshRunning = 0
Const WshFinished = 1
Const WshFailed = 2
strCommand = "C:\Temp\test.bat"
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set oExec = WshShell.Exec(strCommand)
Do While oExec.Status = 0
WScript.Sleep 1000
If Not oExec.StdErr.AtEndOfStream Then
vErrStr = vErrStr & oExec.StdErr.ReadAll
End If
If Not oExec.StdOut.AtEndOfStream Then
vOutStr = vOutStr & oExec.StdOut.ReadAll
End If
Loop
WScript.StdOut.Write(vErrStr)
WScript.Echo(vOutStr)
It all depends on what your bat file is doing really, and the reason you need to kill it after x seconds.
Edit:
Because your batch file is a continuous loop, it may confuse ReadAll of the output stream. You might be best using something such as (note that you will not see real-time output):
Dim strCommand : strCommand = "C:\Temp\test.bat"
Dim WshShell : Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'execute command
Dim oExec : Set oExec = WshShell.Exec(strCommand)
'wait 2 seconds
WScript.Sleep 2000
'terminate command
oExec.terminate
'get output
wscript.echo oExec.StdOut.ReadAll
Set oExec = Nothing
Set WshShell = Nothing