Windows .bat file doesn't execute its sequence - windows

I created a simple install.bat file into my application folder, to execute its thing on windows.
But it only executes the first line of the .bat file.
Is there something that I need to add so it continues after the first one is done?
copy something somewhere
move something somewhereelse
gem install etc
Above are the type of commands that are in the .bat.
Do I need to anything something inbetween?

Is the first command in your batch file actually a copy command, or is it a command that's running another batch file?
Running a batch file from another by simply using the second batch file;s name will not return to the calling batch file.
If you want one batch file to invoke another and return you have to use the call command.

Are you overwriting a file? If so you'll need to add the /Y to the copy command to supress the prompt that asks if you want to overwrite the file.
Use the /h parameter to get help on the copy command. It will show this usage and some others.

As written above, all three lines will execute. I imagine that the second and third lines are failing. You should capture the output which will explain why those lines failed.

Related

issues in exe files from bat files

ok...Im a new member here and I can express how jolly I am...back to subject
I made a bat file, lets call it 1.bat and I used iexpress to make it an exe file, lets call it 1.exe.
So, in the batch file I added the command line to add a vbs file ( call it 1.vbs ) which is also included in the exe package (1.bat and 1.vbs are in 1.exe) but it installs 1.bat, so in the command I typed:
copy "1.vbs" "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
If I run the bat file it copies the vbs file to start up, but if I make the 1.exe file in iexpress by including 1.bat and 1.vbs and when I click the 1.exe file, it doesnt work, it doesn't copy the vbs file to startup, it says something about too many parameters.
I'm sorry if my post is too long or my question have been posted before, but I couldn't found any thread solves my issues, if there is, i'd be glad to be enlightened.
Thanks.
Never use "Batch to EXE" converter, they often do not work as expected. Simply use the batch script.
Just a note, this file actually only acts as a wrapper for your script, and the script itself actually gets executed in a temp folder created on execution (and deleted afterwards), so make sure you don't use any relative paths.
source
When running a batch file in IExpress, you need to call it like:
cmd /c 1.bat
If you don’t, variables like %username%, long file names, etc, will likely not work.
I suspect you are using short file names. Put in your bat dir then pause and you'll see it's 1~1.vbs or similar.

Build output from Visual Studio 2010 external tools in output window

I run a batch file as an external tool (by adding it in Tools->External tools) in VS2010 (I've checked the "Use Output Window" option). This batch file performs compilation as in VS command prompt. The project that I'm working on has makefiles for various folders, so I use the mk command to build.
In the batch file, I set up the VS environment and then run the following commands:
cd $directoryWhichContainsFileToBuild
mk
cd main //This directory contains the executable that is to be built
mk
I see the output of the first mk in the Output window but after that it just hangs. I also tried to use an echo after the first mk but even that doesn't get printed in the output window (the ones before it can be seen).
Somewhere I read that there is an issue with VS 2010 output window where it hangs after showing some output, although I couldn't really be sure that that is what's the issue here.
Do I need to enable some other VS setting? Has anybody else encountered this issue?
Thanks.
Update: I unchecked the "Use Output Window" and "Close on exit" option, and I see an extra statement: "Press any key to continue". On doing that however, their is no further processing of the batch file.
Update2: Got it to work by prefixing mk with "call".
Thanks all who tried.
It is always good in batch files to specify executables with full path and file extension instead of just the file name. This avoids often lots of problems.
Here was just mk used instead of mk.bat. Therefore on every compile the command line processor cmd.exe searches for mk.* and then checks if any of the found files have an extension listed in environment variable PATHEXT. The order of file extensions separated by a semicolon in PATHEXT defines the order of execution in case of a directory contains multiple mk.* files.
If a command being specified in a batch file not being an internal command of cmd.exe without path, command line processor searches first for a file with given name in current working directory. This is often one more cause of error. What is the current working directory on execution of the batch file?
Next if no file to execute can be found in current working directory, the command line processor searches in all folders being listed in environment variable PATH separated by semicolons.
So specifying in batch files edited only rarely an external application or another batch file with full path, file name and file extension, in double quotes if necessary because of 1 or more spaces in path or file name, helps command line processor to more quickly execute that application or batch file and avoids problems because of executable not found (unknown command).
Sure, when typing commands in a command prompt window, nobody wants to enter the executables with full path, name and extension. But for batch files it is always good to be not lazy and type files to be executed with full path and extension.
TripeHound has given already the explanation why the observed behavior occurred here.
If a batch file is executed from another batch file without using command call, the command line processor continues batch execution in the other batch file and does never come back. In a C/C++ program this is like using goto with the difference that parameters can be passed to the batch file containing the further commands to be executed next.
But running from within a batch file another batch file with call results in continuation of execution below the line calling the other batch file once the other batch file reaches end, except command exit is used in the called batch file without parameter /B.
So the solution here is using:
cd /D "Directory\Which\Contains\File\To\Build"
call "Path\Containing\Batch\File\To\Build\mk.bat"
rem With mk.bat not changing current working directory change working
rem directory to the directory containing the executable to be built.
cd main
call "Path\Containing\Batch\File\To\Build\mk.bat"
BTW: exit exits command processor, exit /B exits just current batch file. I'll give you three guesses why the parameter is B and not a different letter. Yes, B is the first letter of batch.
Writing as a separate answer instead of an update in the question itself as many readers see the header and skim to the answer: got it to work by prefixing mk with "call". (#TripleHound has also posted the conceptual reason for it in the comment above.)

Calling a batch file from another batch file in different directory - resources not found

I'm working with installshield and have a group of batch files that I want to run as part of the install process. Instead of executing each batch file from installshield I want to create one batch file that executes all of the batch files.
The issue I have is that the calling batch file sits two directories up from the others. When the batch file tries to call the others they fail to run because they can not find the resources that they need. It seems that when they are executed from the batch file two directories up they are for some reason using the relative path of the calling batch file. Is my assumption correct?
One of the batch files that I am calling is a batch file to star an h2 database the call looks like this:
call h2\bin\h2.bat
If I go to the /h2/bin directory in a command prompt the h2.bat runs fine but once I run it from the calling batch file this is the error that I get.
Error: Could not find or load main class org.h2.tools.Console
How do I call one batch file from another without using the calling batch files path?
Explanation
It seems that when they are executed from the batch file two
directories up they are for some reason using the relative path of the
calling batch file. Is my assumption correct?
Yes your assumption is correct. Calling a batch file will not change the current working directory. The main batch file will be found because you are providing the correct relative path, but all the other relative paths will be seen from the perspective of your current working directory, not from the directory that contains the main batch file.
%~dp0 is your friend, it yields the drive letter and path to the batch file containing that character sequence. Use it as a basis for relative paths and your batch files will work no matter who calls them from where.
Example:
Fictitious h2.bat that won't work:
#echo off
h2.exe start
Working h2.bat:
#echo off
"%~dp0\h2.exe" start
See What does %~dp0 mean, and how does it work? for more explanations on %~dp0
Try setting the directory:
cd ht\bin\
call h2.bat
cd %HOMEPATH%
REM just reset to where ever you were before.
If that doesn't work, try using the C:// prefix in your path. That might/might not work.
Good Luck!
Suppose current .bat file is running in C drive and you want to run .bat file placed in D: directory then in first .bat write.
D:
cd "D:/folder/folder2/"
call batFile.bat
It might be because you don't have permission. M facing the same problem and i found the solution like this -
Right click on your task than properties.
In properties click on General tab and then click on 'User Group or User' and select appropriate user.
Or create a another bat file to call your bat file and schedule that file. you can create the bat file like this -
open Notepad and give your original bat file path and then call bat file with name like -
D:
cd "E:/ABC/FirstJob/main/"
call main_run.bat
Now save this file with .bat extension.
if your bat file is correct, try cmd command as below and hit enter(tried in windows 10):
"\h2.bat"
e.g: "C:\Users..\bin\h2.bat"
I tried :
pushd h2\bin\
call h2.bat
=> It 's okay.

How to create an executable command prompt script

I usually perform actions in the 7zip command line program. I was thinking about creating a small script to do everything automatically, but I have never written any Windows shell script before and therefore don't even know where to begin.
I would like to make an executable script file which, when a user double-clicks on it, will call the 7zip command line and perform some actions.
First of all, is this possible? And if it is, what is the best way to do this?
You can create a batch script to do this.
It's basically command line commands that run one after another so you don't have to keep typing them in :)
Put the commands you would normally use for 7zip in a notepad file and save it with the extension .bat, then run it.
7z blah blah params
7z more params and args
All your commands will be executed automatically when the previous one finishes.
There are other programming languages you could do this in (or even VBScript) but batch would be perfectly suited to this, and you don't need to install anything extra.
Batch files can run a series of command line commands. Simply create a text file and name it with the .bat extension.
There are plenty of resources on the internet which will provide you with help.

How to move output file in dos

I would like to create a batch file which will move the output file of a custom command "mdmg C:\source i5". I must execute this command from the C:\home directory where the mdmg.cmd resides.
This command converts the any file in the source dir and creates an output files in the C:\home folder.
However I want to move the output files to another folder autometically, lets say C:\test.
can it be done in a batch script?
Thanks in advance.
bla.bat
move c:\home\* c:\test
What is the problem ? DOS has a move command. Or you could simulate that with a copy and delete if move is unavailable for some reason.
You could save yourself the trouble of the batch using CMD redirects. Just paste the following behind the mdmg.cmd command.
> "C:\source i5\output.txt"
Basically the CMD interpreter will execute the command(s) in mdmg.cmd, and then redirect the output of the commands to print in output.txt. This way you don't have to call another batch. Another cool thing about doing it this way is that if the output file does not exist at the specified path, cmd.exe will make it for you.

Resources