Let's say I have a program that I want to open. I can open it using batch by running this:
#echo off
start "" "C:\Program.exe"
Is there a way to tell batch that I want to open the file using a program such as notepad? Something along the lines of this:
start "" "C:\Program.exe" >notepad.exe
Not sure, but you can use
#echo off
notepad.exe "C:\Program.exe"
You can use every program that supports "Open With" (every good program supports it)
The File-Path will be passed to the program, so it knows your file.
I used following code.
#echo off
start notepad C:\Program.exe
Make sure to set the path to notepad.exe.
You must need double quotes only if you have spaces in the path to your file.
#echo off
start notepad "C:\My Program.exe"
you can use openwith command:
...>openwith "C:program.exe"
this command opens "Open with" window and you can choose witch program "program.exe" should be opened or run with.
you can read more here in Microsoft docs about this command.
Related
[Context: I'm trying to create a shortcut to a .bat file with a relative "Start in" path as roughly described here and here.]
cmd.exe supports the /c switch. According to the documentation, this should cause it to "carry out the command and then terminate."
But the switch seems to be ignored when the command is a .bat file.
For example, if you create a shortcut with the following Target (to a normal, non-bat command):
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c "START /d C:\temp\ notepad.exe test.txt"
Everything works as expected: Notepad opens and the console (shell) disappears. But if you replace the command above with a .bat file instead, like so:
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c "START /d C:\temp\ C:\test.bat"
(where test.bat contains only "notepad.exe test.txt") Notepad opens as before but the console sticks around like an unwanted friend. Why? And more to the point, How do I make it go away?
UPDATE: I know I can use wscript, as in this solution, but then I lose the option of having a custom icon (I'm stuck with the default .vbs icon).
The start command begins a new process for the batch file. The original cmd.exe then terminates, but leaves the new process, which hangs around because it's waiting for notepad.exe to terminate.
Change your bat file contents to:
start "" notepad.exe test.txt
Then your batch file will not wait for notepad to exit before continuing execution.
Another thing to try:
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c "START /d C:\temp\ C:\test.bat & exit"
The nuclear option would be to write a small program in the (compiled) language of your choice that launches the .bat file and then exits. Then you can give it a custom icon, and make it do whatever you like.
You might also take a look at Autoit from http://autoitscript.com as an alternative to batch. - the Run() command can do this kind of thing with better predictability. Since it makes an executable you can link this from a shortcut directly. You can also do a whole lot more of course, like run as a different user, insert delays or handle errors, that are hard to do with batch.
You don't need the full kit, just the Aut2EXE folder from the download will do.
BTW, build your exes without UPX compression as that leads to AV false positives.
I'm a little late but here is the answer.
The documentation for start states:
Syntax
START "title" [/D path] [options] "command" [parameters]
If command is an internal cmd command or a batch file then the command
processor is run with the /K switch to cmd.exe. This means that the
window will remain after the command has been run.
If start is used to execute a batch file, the opened cmd instance wont close.
You could also use call instead.
call C:\test.bat
How do i tell windows to open C:\test\test.txt in WordPad, when Notepad is my default program for .txt files?
The accepted answer didn't work for me. I am not sure if it was because of the program I was trying to run, or because the path had spaces in (even though I wrapped it in quotes), or something else.
Anyway, I was able to do it be adding an empty string after the start command.
For example:
start "" "C:\My Programs\myprogram.exe" "C:\My Files\myfile.txt"
You can add the direct path to the executable like
start C:\Windows\System32\write.exe [FILE]
Try:
start wordpad c:\test\test.txt
There is no need to use start when using write.exe, so simply:
write [FILE(S)]
write.exe is located in C:\Windows\System32.
Take an excruciatingly simple batch file:
echo hi
pause
Save that as test.bat. Now, make a shortcut to test.bat. The shortcut runs the batch file, which prints "hi" and then waits for a keypress as expected. Now, add some argument to the target of the shortcut. Now you have a shortcut to:
%path%\test.bat some args
The shortcut runs the batch file as before.
Now, run the shortcut as administrator. (This is on Windows 7 by the way.) You can use either right-click -> Run as Administrator, or go to the shortcut's properties and check the box in the advanced section. Tell UAC that it's okay and once again the shortcut runs the batch file as expected.
Now, change the arguments in the target of the shortcut to add double quotes:
%path%\test.bat "some args"
Now try the shortcut as administrator. It doesn't work this time! A command window pops up and and disappears too fast to see any error. I tried adding > test.log 2>&1 to the shortcut, but no log is created in this case.
Try running the same shortcut (with the double quotes) but not as Administrator. It runs the batch file fine. So, it seems the behavior is not because of the double quoted parameters, and it's not because it's run as Administrator. It's some weird combination of the two.
I also tried running the same command from an administrator's command window. This ran the batch file as expected without error. Running the shortcut from the command window spawned a new command window which flashed and went away. So apparently the issue is caused by a combination of administrator, the shortcut, and the double quotes.
I'm totally stumped, does anyone have any idea what's going on? I'd also like a workaround.
I just ran Process Monitor on this and here is what I saw:
Run as User:
cmd /c ""C:\Users\Sunbelt\Desktop\test.bat" "some args""
Run as Admin:
"C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" /C "C:\Users\Sunbelt\Desktop\test.bat" "some args"
For some reason, the Run as Admin case is not quoting the entire command. It seems it is trying to run the command:
C:\Users\Sunbelt\Desktop\test.bat" "some args
I would guess that since the first space is quoted it actually trying to run the following command:
"C:\Users\Sunbelt\Desktop\test.bat some" args
And in Process Monitor logs there is a file system entry of "NO SUCH FILE" for "C:\Users\Sunbelt\Desktop\test.bat some". I don't know why it is different when run as Admin, but that's what appears to be happening.
To work around this, create another bat file on a path without spaces, and with a filename without spaces, that simply does this:
call "Long path to original bat file\Original bat file.bat"
This secondary bat file can be run as admin.
You can now create a shortcut to this secondary bat file and check run as admin in the shortcut's advanced options. The shortcut can be placed on a path with spaces and it can have a filename containing spaces.
In my case I just want to pass one filename as parameter, but the path has spaces.
I found a solution that worked for this case (if that's okay to truncate the file name).
Create another bat file (input_gate.bat) to remove the spaces in the path using the syntax of CALL.exe.
Assuming that the shortcut is named test.lnk and is on the same route as the input_gate.bat:
call %~sdp0test.lnk %~sf1
This pass as a parameter to test.bat the full file name in short format, with administrator privileges.
%~sdp0 -> Is the current path (for the input_gate.bat) in short format.
%~sf1 -> Is the first parameter passed to input_gate.bat (in my case the full filename with spaces)
This worked for me in Windows 7:
ShortcutTarget: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C myscript.bat Param1 "Param Two with spaces"
StartIn: "C:\Path containing\my script"
Not tried it yet as Admin. I don't think it would work if myscript.bat contained spaces
I finally figured it out, in a way that allows the use of long filenames (short filenames weren't adequate for my use case). My solution works on Win 7, 8, and 10. I think it was inspired by Luke's mention of the missing double-quote.
Here it is:
1.) For the shortcut you create to the batch file, which you set to run as admin, use the following command line:
cmd /s /c ""path_to_batch_file"
Note that there are 2 double-quote characters at the beginning of the command, and only 1 at the end, even though there should normally be 2 at the end also. But that is the trick in getting it to work!
2.) In your batch file, add back the missing double-quote character:
set user_file=%1"
That's it! Here's an example to let you see it in action:
1.) On your desktop, create "test.bat" with the following content:
#echo off
set user_file=%1"
echo The file is: %user_file%
pause
3.) Create a shortcut to the batch file. Set it to run as admin, and give it the following command line:
cmd /s /c ""%userprofile%\desktop\test.bat"
4.) Drag a file onto the shortcut. Success! (I hope...)
Answer here worked for me: https://superuser.com/questions/931003/passing-variables-with-space-to-the-command-line-as-admin
Which is...
Adding cmd /C before the target.
I also had to make sure my script's name and path didn't have spaces, and not quote the script's path in target.
I have created a small command that will let me launch Internet Explorer. However, I wish to close the small command prompt that shows up when I launch IE. How can I do this? This is my current code:
"%ProgramFiles%\Internet
Explorer\iexplore.exe"
http://localhost/test.html
PAUSE
I am guessing if I take out the Pause. It will close the CMD box upon closing IE??
Also is there another command that I can use to simply create a command that will let me add something to the Menu with a small icon, which in turn runs the above. Is this complicated? Any tutorials I can use?
Thanks all
Use the start command:
start "title" "%ProgramFiles%\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" http://www.example.com
you need this on the end
&& exit
For example
"%ProgramFiles%\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" http://google.co.uk && exit
#echo off
start "" "%ProgramFiles%\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" "http://www.example.com"
exit /b
But you really should not force IE, but use the default browser:
#echo off
start http://www.example.com
exit /b
exit /b does not work on win9x IIRC, so if you need to support every version of windows and close the terminal window if the user double clicks your batch file, go with:
#echo off
start http://www.example.com
cls
You can also launch your program with the /c switch, which terminates the cmd once its finished executing
for example
cmd /c "%ProgramFiles%\InternetExplorer\iexplore.exe" http://localhost/test.html
You have to add 'start' in front of every program you launch, elsewhere your script is going to wait until it's finished.
A little late here, but running it in minimized mode or invisible mode might be another option. Source: https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/run-bat-files-invisibly-without-displaying-command-prompt/
Running .BAT or .CMD files in minimized mode
To run a batch file in a minimized window state, follow these steps:
Create a shortcut to the .BAT or .CMD file. To do so, right click on the file, click Send To, Desktop (create shortcut)
Right click on the shortcut and choose Properties
In the Run: drop down, choose Minimized
Click OK
Double-click the shortcut to run the batch file in a minimized window state.
"Mind the gap!"
Command Prompt always takes the empty space as separator, unless it's enclosed in double quotes.
So, if any Path, or Program/File Name, or anything includes empty space/es, must closed in quotes.
eg. "C:/Program files/..." path/directory or "Any Program/Command/File.exe/cmd/txt..." Program/Command/File Name includes space/es.
Syntax:
> start /?
Starts a separate window to run a specified program or command.
START ["title"] [/D path] (start swiches here...) [command/program] (com/prog-parameters here)
start "" /d "Drive:/the/Program/Path/..." "Command/Program Name.extension" "File-Name.extension"
So, it's usual fault:
If you don't set the 1st set of quotes "" for title (even if there's nothing to enclose), then the START command takes whats inside the 1st quotes set (eg. path! or Program Name!) and sets it as title... and of course, it messing up.
I need to create a batch file which starts multiple console applications in a Windows .cmd file. This can be done using the start command.
However, the command has a path in it. I also need to pass paramaters which have spaces as well. How to do this?
E.g. batch file
start "c:\path with spaces\app.exe" param1 "param with spaces"
Actually, his example won't work (although at first I thought that it would, too). Based on the help for the Start command, the first parameter is the name of the newly created Command Prompt window, and the second and third should be the path to the application and its parameters, respectively. If you add another "" before path to the app, it should work (at least it did for me). Use something like this:
start "" "c:\path with spaces\app.exe" param1 "param with spaces"
You can change the first argument to be whatever you want the title of the new command prompt to be. If it's a Windows app that is created, then the command prompt won't be displayed, and the title won't matter.
Escaping the path with apostrophes is correct, but the start command takes a parameter containing the title of the new window. This parameter is detected by the surrounding apostrophes, so your application is not executed.
Try something like this:
start "Dummy Title" "c:\path with spaces\app.exe" param1 "param with spaces"
start "" "c:\path with spaces\app.exe" "C:\path parameter\param.exe"
When I used above suggestion, I've got:
'c:\path' is not recognized a an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
I think second qoutation mark prevent command to run. After some search below solution save my day:
start "" CALL "c:\path with spaces\app.exe" "C:\path parameter\param.exe"
Interestingly, it seems that in Windows Embedded Compact 7, you cannot specify a title string. The first parameter has to be the command or program.
You are to use something like this:
start /d C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe
start /d "C:\Program Files\Mozilla
Firefox" firefox.exe start /d
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office12" EXCEL.EXE
Also I advice you to use special batch files editor - Dr.Batcher
Surrounding the path and the argument with spaces inside quotes as in your example should do. The command may need to handle the quotes when the parameters are passed to it, but it usually is not a big deal.
I researched successfully and it is working fine for me. My requirement is to sent an email using vbscript which needs to be call from a batch file in windows. Here is the exact command I am using with no errors.
START C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe "C:\Documents and Settings\akapoor\Desktop\Mail.vbs"