I want to call a batch file in my post build step in Visual Studio. Locally the batch file exists, just the command
call "$(SolutionDir)PostBuildSen.bat" "$(TargetDir)" "$(TargetName)"
correctly calls and executes the batch file.
However when I want to check if the batch file exists first (since others will use the same Post Build Event), I get the error
:VCEnd" exited with code 255.
The command is
if exists "$(SolutionDir)PostBuildSen.bat" call "$(SolutionDir)PostBuildSen.bat" "$(TargetDir)" "$(TargetName)"
The Diagnostic output tells me
2> Done executing task "Exec" -- FAILED.
How do you handle this?
The Solution Directory contains a folder with an underscore, i.e. \Dev_Main\ and I have read that for the batch file that is to be called at least that doesn't work. However I am not sure if that is the issue with folders as well and how to cope with it. Also, since the call command works, I am not sure this is the problem.
Furthermore, if I replace the call with cmd /C, the exit code is 1 and the (minmal) output tells me
1>The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
Also, I will add this as a custom command to a CMakeLists file later on, so the solution needs to work with that.
Thanks to Hans Passant's comment, I solved the problem. The query for the file needs to be if exist rather than if exists.
Background
I want to use ROBOCOPY to backup folders. To learn this, I created a test source folder, containing other subfolders and dummy files.
F:\RoboCopy\RoboCopy_Files
I am able to ROBOCOPY the source folder from the Command line and PowerShell (with using Windows 10).
ROBOCOPY "RoboCopy_Files" "RoboCopy_Files_Testing" /MIR
It does exactly what I want.
Now I put the command into batch file Robocopy.cmd.
Problem symptoms
However, when I put the same command into Robocopy.cmd file, in the root F:\RoboCopy folder and run it, I get only flashing cmd window with my command repeated on ever increasing number of lines.
How can I put the command into a CMD file (e.g. Robocopy.cmd) for later use/share/schedule? How to prevent command prompt from flashing in endless loop without running the command?
Note: I feel this is more about learning how to put cmd scripts into files, than how to use ROBOCOPY.
Cause: File and Command have the same name
I wanted to use the ROBOCOPY command inside the ROBOCOPY file. This is a mistake.
The file ends up calling itself.
Solution 1: Rename batch file
One solution is to rename the batch file to be different from the command(s) in the file.
Solution 2: Use more explicit command call
Another solution could be to use ROBOCOPY.exe or explicitly specify the full path to the exe like C:...\robocopy.exe. This would prevent the "confusion" in calling the command vs calling the batch file itself.
Solution 1 x 2
The best solution (thx Mofi again) is to combine the 1 x 2 together. Use unique batch file name AND specify the full path to command (exe) inside the batch file.
Useful related commands: To determine the full path to command (exe), see the WHERE command (e.g. Where Robocopy.exe - This should be somewhere in windows folder.), system variables (e.g. SS64), or the command SET.
The full version in my case would be to run for example BackupRobocopyFiles.cmd with line:
%SystemRoot%\System32\robocopy.exe "RoboCopy_Files" "RoboCopy_Files_Testing" /MIR /R:2
Note: This would work only if the cmd file is in the root folder F:\RoboCopy. If I would like to run the cmd from different folder (or task sheduler), I would specify the full path to SOURCE_FOLDER and DESTINATION_FOLDER parameters of ROBOCOPY command.
Contributions
The answer was found based on comments by: "MC ND", "eryksun". "Mofi" did point out, that the original Q was not helpful. Thanks to all.
While .bat files are referred to as batch (I assume because the extension starts with bat) files, I've sort of always called cmd files batch files too.
Is that the proper term for them?
What are they called? I've never heard anyone say, "Make a command file." I've just heard people say "make a batch file," or "make a cmd file."
From Wikipedia these are still called batch files; the following outlines the primary difference between the two.
In addition, "set", "path", "assoc" and "prompt" commands, when executed from a .bat file, alter the value of the "errorlevel" variable only upon an error, whereas from within a .cmd file, they would affect errorlevel even when returning without an error.
Batch File may refer to a script with any of the following three extensions: .bat, .cmd, .btm
I have a very simple Windows .BAT file:
set PATH=c:\xxx;%PATH%
call foo.pl
set VAR=true
I thought "call" will start a new batch process, without affecting the current one. However, the batch file exited immediately after the foo.pl finished executing. The set VAR=true has never been called.
Is there a way to fix it?
foo.pl is not a batch file, it is a Perl script.
So you need to use
path c:\xxx;%PATH%
"Path to\Folder With\perl.exe" "foo.pl"
rem Additional batch code executed after Perl script execution finished.
In other words you have to run the console application perl.exe best with full path, or with just perl.exe if program files folder of Perl is not the same on all computers on which this batch file is used and hopefully PATH contains also the directory containing perl.exe.
If you specify on a command line or in a batch file just foo.pl, Windows looks in Windows registry which application is associated with .pl for action Open. If there is such a file association, Windows runs this application in a separate process like when using command start.
So using call foo.pl is like using start foo.pl.
PATH is not only an environment variable, but also an interal command written for changing the value of environment variable PATH at any time within a batch file. This is the reason why I removed set from first line. It is better to use internal command path for modifying environment variable PATH.
i am using 'Bat to Exe Converter' to convert my batch files to exe format.
Now, i am running into some problems.
Whenever i convert something, and i set 'Working Directory' to 'Current Directory', and i start my exe in echo on mode, this is what i end up with to check if there is a specific file in the directory of my exe:
the actual command: if not exist "%~dp0\file.txt" goto :nofile
output: if not exist "C:\Users\MyUser\AppData\Local\Temp\4CBC\\file.txt" goto :nofile
Can anyone help me with this? I don't want it in the temp directory, i want it to be in the directory of my exe.
Thanks.
Without having Bat to Exe changed by the author, I think you have two options:
Remove the need for accessing %~dp0
Perhaps you can merge file.txt with the include option of Bat to Exe into the EXE file. If so, "file.txt" will automatically be unpacked in the current directory when running your compiled exe, and you can it access by %CD%\file.txt.
Get %~dp0 from outside and pass it to the exe as a command line parameter.
This can be done by a simple starter bat file that resides in the same directory as your compiled main batch file. This script schould contain the line
YourCompiled.Exe %~dp0% %%*
Your compiled exe then gets its directory from %1. So you cannot pack everything into one exe, but the main portion of it, perhaps that is sufficient for you.
Well, apparently your batch to exe converter simply packs the batch file and extracts it to a temporary directory prior to execution. Very simplistic, hard to get wrong (compared to actually understand the batch file) but it introduces errors such as the one you're describing.
Your best bet is probably to use another batch to exe converter; some of them are actually a little more sophisticated.
Generally, this is not a good idea. firstly, its prone to errors and instability of the converter on different cmd features. secondly, a determined hacker can still decode what you are doing with the batch. My suggestion, if you are so afraid of people looking into your batch,
1) let only the people who are authorized to use your batch to use it
2) give them the correct permissions.
OR, don't use batch at all
1) create a central interface such as a web interface, where all tasks to be done goes through that interface, like using an ATM machine where only buttons are allowed and all the available user options can be done by pushing buttons...etc..
2) authenticate your users through a central authentication system, eg Active Directory, or LDAP or a database.
This is an 2.5 yr old subject but there is an answer to this so I'm posting for anyone else that happens to find this in a search.
B2EC written by Fatih Kodak, has an option to "Submit current directory".
When this is used, you can reference %1 in your batch file to get the path of the EXE that was executed (instead of the path of the extracted BAT that is really being run).
Hovering over that option in the UI shows "Submit the current working directory as the last parameter". The "last parameter" in my use has always been %1 but you can test your code to be sure.
The latest version, 2.1.4 at time of writing, of Bat to Exe by Fatih Kodak creates an Environmental Variable at runtime that can be substituted in place of %~dp0 to reference the Exe's path. Therefore, you can simply replace %-dp0 with %b2eprogrampathname% in the original batch file.
You can use external folders with f2ko's batch to exe converter. Having
a separate folder for subroutines can neaten up a project folder.
To call mysubroutine that is located in mysubroutinesfolder\mysubroutine,
...
pushd mysubroutinesfolder
call mysubroutine
popd
...
The call can be made a one liner:
call xqt mysubroutine
where xqt.cmd is a program that does the call for you:
pushd mysubroutinesfolder
call %*
popd
exit /b
(the %* means "all of the arguments").
In this way your batch programs run as batch, and UNMODIFIED they will
compile with the bat to exe converter, creating a completely folder independent executable. Select "temporary directory",
and include all of the subroutines/executables in your mysubroutines folder
by "selecting them all" with your cursor as usual, then hit "copy".
Be sure to include the xqt.cmd program too; place it "outside" of your mysubroutines folder. Make sure that is is accessible by your main program. Remember to select x64 if you
are runnning on a x64 machine, or the executable will not find SYSTEM32
files. You can find f2k0's batch to exe converter at:
http://www.f2ko.de/programs.php?pid=b2e
Try this development environment for batch scripts, Batch Compiler . It has everything you need to develop a batch program.And compile into stable stand alone executable (Exe).
Friendly user interface.
Debugger, Check your code for syntax errors.
Powerful, versatile compiler.
Allows mouse input in batch files.
Use Windows Common Dialog Boxes.(BrowseFiles,BrowseFolders)
Draw graphics in batch files.
Reverse engineering proof encryption of source code.
Include Company name, Copyright info and Version info.
Make invisible(silent) executables.
Executables with administrator privileges.
Run & debug your script while editing.
Embed resources with executable.(music,images,files)
Advance Commands (BrowseFiles,LaunchSilent,MouseCMD)
Stand-alone executables.No dependencies needed.
Executables are woking on almost all windows operating systems.(98 to 10)
Quick download : http://bc.gotek.info/files/BatchCompiler159.zip
Cheers!
%cd% will give you the current directory:
if not exist "%CD%\file.txt" goto :nofile
Use %CD% instead of %~dp0.
EDIT:
B2EC is not a real converter. Creation location of equipped .cmd file was chosen to be %TEMP% and this is a good choice. Application just lacks 3rd option for working directory of the script - .exe file directory. I advise you to mail the author about adding this one.
Different paths for .exe and created .cmd lead to information loss, i.e. we are unable to know .exe directory and current directory at the same time without providing additional information to the script (e.g. using environment variable or passing it as first/last argument to the script). This script would need to handle it and we would end writing cmd scripts tailored for this converter, which is bad.
%~dp0 - script directory (%TEMP%/.../) - practically useless
%cd% - working directory (as set up in the converter) - currently there are only 2 options: current directory (working directory of .exe) and temporary directory (actually equal to %~dp0, but without trailing backslash)
I think it can be solved by patching cmd.exe instance in memory to change the script path, but that's B2EC developer's duty.
Side note: Normal executable files can be easily executed with specified 0th argument by providing appriopriate lpApplicationName and lpCommandLine to CreateProcess function. Command files are executed via cmd.exe, so 0th argument cannot be set this way.