I'm actually trying to run an application as another user and while it works really nicely in a cmd.exe prompt, it doesn't always work if I go with the Windows Run prompt (it actually depends on what application I'm trying to run).
For example, this works fine both from cmd.exe or from W-Run prompt (using either Windows XP or Windows 7):
runas /user:ME regedit.exe
While this only works in a cmd.exe prompt (it does ask for my password in both cases but it does nothing after that if launched from W-Run on either WinXP or W7):
runas /user:ME services.msc
It's actually kind of inconsistent, with cmd it always works but with Windows Run, it's really unreliable and random.
Any ideas where there is such a difference? To get around the problem, I'm actually using batch files to launch applications as another user and then just type the batch file full path in Windows Run prompt. It does ensure reliability but I still would like to know if I'm doing something wrong.
cmd /k "runas /user:ME ""regedit.exe"" && exit"
The "problem" with runas are
It needs all the command as only one argument, so if you are running something with arguments you have to enclose all the command in quotes, and if the command includes its own quotes, they need to be escaped.
It is designed to call .exe files (well, windows valid executable files).
This two options should handle your program start
runas /user:ME "cmd.exe /c \"start services.msc\""
runas /user:ME "mmc.exe %systemroot%\system32\services.msc"
In the first case, it is using the ability of cmd.exe to find the adecuated executable to run the .msc file. In the second case, it directly calls the adecuated executable to handle the .msc file.
For your batch files, instead of cmd /k .... & exit, you can directly use cmd /c ... that will close the console when the command finishes.
Related
I am trying to develop a simple script that can run a second script as the machine's local administrator. As the first script I am currently trying:
set name=%computername%
runas /noprofile /user:%name%\Administrator "cmd.exe /c %cd%bg2.2.bat"
When I run the script it never seems to run the second script, which is located in the same directory. The second script is only for copying files.
del "C:\Windows\obh_logo.bmp"
copy "%cd%obh_logo.bmp C:\Windows\obh_logo.bmp"
When the first script runs I am prompted for the admin password as expected and once I enter it, a second command prompt seems to flicker on the screen then vanishes. It never appears to run the second script. What seems to be the reason for this not working?
%cd%will probably not point where you think it does, (just tested it, of course the variable gets replaced before the command gets called and does actually point to the first scripts dir, but the problem still persists in the second script)
the runaschanges the working directory for the cmd.exe instance you are starting, probably to C:\Windows\system32.
replace it with %~dp0, which yields the drive and path of the current batch file.
But! Your script will not run the second file elevated, just under the Administrator account, which is not the same. Manual confirmation is always necessary, see here for possible ways to request elevation from within your script.
I now assume the missing rights is the actual problem, add a pause statement in your second script to watch it, or call it with cmd /k so the console doesn't close.
Is there a way to run any command (eg: cd D:\test) on Command Prompt start and to have this instance of Command Prompt as a different shortcut/instance.
You can create a shortcut that has a target of e.g.:
%comspec% /k ""C:\Full_Path_to\VsDevCmd.bat""
Where the .bat file is the command(s) that you want to run on startup. This will then leave you with an open command prompt after those commands have executed.
(In case it's not obvious, this is just shamelessly ripped from one of the Developer Command Prompt shortcuts that Visual Studio installs in the Start Menu)
%comspec% is a nice way of getting cmd to execute.
Cmd:
/k : Carries out the command specified by string and continues.
I am running Windows 7x64 and Excel 2010x32. I call 32bit dos programs (written in Fortran) via vba using ExecCmd (a Microsoft function that waits for a command prompt process to finish). I send a command line to this function that explicitly contains the program path and the paths of the input file and output file.
This runs fine on my PC and also on a company PC running the same software (OS and Office) and for which I have general access to the C: drive.
On other company PCs, where there is not general access to the C: drive, this does not work - i.e. the dos programs do not produce an output file. On these PCs, I can still run the program at the command prompt manually. It is just that calling this command prompt does not work via Excel VBA.
Now the strange thing is that I can successfully run one of these programs by adding "cmd.exe /c" at the beginning of the command line. That would appear to be running a command prompt within a command prompt (!). The other program (which, incidentally, is quite a bit bigger) does not work at all via vba on these PCs. I need to be able to provide other employees with something that works.
Can anyone shed some light on what is happening here and suggest a work around? I could past some code, but I think the above should be self explanatory.
You're confusing the command shell with the console window. In this context, the distinction is critical.
Console-mode programs (aka "command-line programs") require a console window to provide input and output. When a console-mode program is launched from a GUI program, Windows automatically creates a console window for it (unless instructed otherwise).
The command shell (aka "Command Prompt") is cmd.exe, a console-mode program.
The important point here is that not every console window has an instance of cmd.exe running in it. When a console-mode program is launched from a GUI program, Windows automatically creates a console window but does not automatically create an instance of cmd.exe. If you want to pass a command to cmd.exe you have to do so yourself, or use a run-time library routine that does it for you.
ExecCmd does not do this; it runs the program directly. So passing cmd /c <command> to ExecCmd is not "running a command prompt within a command prompt" at all. Without the cmd /c you aren't running a command shell command, you're just launching an executable.
There are any number of reasons why the command you're passing might need to be given to the command shell. For example:
it might be a built-in command like dir or type which only exists within the command shell;
it might include redirection or pipelining operators, or environment variable substitution;
it might be a script rather than an executable.
There are other cases. If you show us the command line being passed to ExecCmd we may be able to provide more specific advice. (The fact that the same command line is apparently working on some machines is puzzling, but can't be addressed without more information.)
[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
I have a program that changes my desktop wallpaper by dragging the picture file onto it. I also have a wireless network program that can auto open programs everytime it connects to a certain network.
I want to change my desktop everytime it connects to a certain network, but running the wallpaper program doesn't do anything unless I drag the picture onto it. However, I can also run a cmd prompt "c:/program.exe picture.jpg"
I tried creating a batch file START C:/PROGRAM.EXE PICTURE.JPG, but it doesn't work.
So basically I am trying to create a program that can run the cmd prompt "c:/program.exe picture.jpg" - can you help, please?
Remove the "start" from the batch file, and make sure any paths with spaces in them are enclosed in quotes, otherwise they'll be broken into arguments.
For example:
"C:\Program Files\MyProgram.exe" "C:\Documents and Settings\Me\MyPicture.jpg"
A batch job should work. Try skipping that START from your example.
Start - Run - Type :
cmd /c "start /max ""C:\Program Files\MyProgram.exe"" ""C:\Documents and Settings\Me\MyPicture.jpg""" .
The cmd /c - starts a new cmd instance and quits