how to minimize the command prompt when running a batch script? - windows

anybody know how to minimize the command prompt when running a batch script in Windows 3.11?
in Windows XP, there have a command
start /min start.bat
to minimize the cmd prompt, is it have similiar command in MSDos 6.22?

This little batch code should do what you need.
http://zoombody.com/articles/run-a-batch-script-minimized
The relevant code then needs to be placed at the top of your script:
if not "%minimized%"=="" goto :minimized
set minimized=true
start /min cmd /C "%~dpnx0"
goto :EOF
:minimized
rem Anything after here will run in a minimized window
Here is more information about "%~dpnx0".

There isn't a command that you can use from a DOS prompt, however you can create a PIF file that points to your batch file, in which you can set the default window position (including minimized).
...I think. It's been a couple of decades.

How to minimize the current command prompt:
Purpose:
Close a command prompt after execution.
Open a new command prompt using the same path.
First open command prompt :
Hold down the [Windows] + [R] keys.
Go to this location:
C:\>cd Users\Admin\Desktop
Next excute:
C:\Users\Admin\Desktop>start /min && exit
Results:
A new minimized command prompt should open with the same path.
Alternatively:
Create a script named minimize.bat and type start /min && exit into the script and place it in your system32 folder. In order to have the ability to access it via the command prompt.

Windows 10 makes it very easy to start minimized. Simply create a shortcut and click properties. On the shortcut tab half way down is the "Run:" option witch lets you select how you want the command line window to start up. Just select minimized and your command window will remain minimized from the onset.
Windows10 properties window of a shortcut

Use WinExec to start your batch file and pass SW_SHOWMINIMIZED for the second parameter.
See also, How do I run a batch file with WinExec?

Related

how to start wget in cmd with start command and show only progress bar?

I want to download a file with wget portable using start command in cmd, with a batch file, but the window looks bad:
#echo off
start /w wget.exe -q -c --show-progress https://cdn.mysql.com//Downloads/MySQLGUITools/mysql-workbench-community-8.0.23-winx64.msi
What should I add to my command, to reduce the window to the size of the progress bar? (and if possible change the black background color and the color of the letters)
The download progress window could be opened with the wanted properties with following command line:
start "Download Progress" /wait %ComSpec% /D /T:fg /C "%SystemRoot%\System32\mode.com CON COLS=80 LINES=1 & wget.exe -q -c --show-progress https://cdn.mysql.com//Downloads/MySQLGUITools/mysql-workbench-community-8.0.23-winx64.msi"
The Windows command processor cmd.exe processing the batch file starts with command start one more command processor referenced with predefined environment variable ComSpec with the options:
/D to disable execution of AutoRun commands from registry,
/T:fg to define the foreground and background color (both 0-9A-F) of the console window,
/C to execute the command line specified next and then close itself.
The options are explained by the usage help output on running cmd /? in an opened command prompt window.
The title for the console window is Download Progress as defined already by start which waits for self-termination of started cmd.exe instance. Run start /? in command prompt window for help on this command.
The command line executed by the started command process first runs command MODE to change the number of columns to 80 and the number of lines to 1, i.e. the additional console window becomes very small. Run mode /? in command prompt window for help on this command.
The small additional console window displays only the progress information of wget.exe which is executed next by the second command processor instance.
See also single line with multiple commands for an explanation of the operator &.

How to use a .bat file to run other .bat(s) and have each one in a seperate cmd prompt in different directory locations

start cmd
cd /d C:\U\O\D\L\D\M
call runbot.bat
cd /d C:\U\O\D\L\F
call RunBossBot.bat
My issue is switching between cmd windows, it attempts to put everything in one window.
Grateful for any help,
Thanks
start "" "c:\somewhere\runbot.bat"
start "" "c:\somewhere\RunBossBot.bat"
Starting a Program
See start /? and call /? for help on all three ways.
Specify a program name
c:\windows\notepad.exe
In a batch file the batch will wait for the program to exit. When
typed the command prompt does not wait for graphical
programs to exit.
If the program is a batch file control is transferred and the rest of the calling batch file is not executed.
Use Start command
start "" c:\windows\notepad.exe
Start starts a program and does not wait. Console programs start in a new window. Using the /b switch forces console programs into the same window, which negates the main purpose of Start.
Start uses the Windows graphical shell - same as typing in WinKey + R (Run dialog). Try
start shell:cache
Use Call command
Call is used to start batch files and wait for them to exit and continue the current batch file.

Windows 8.1 unable to run batch file without command prompt flashing

I have scheduled a task to run a batch file, and currently every time the task executes, there is a command prompt box that flashes. This is very undesirable. The node.js command prompt window executes minimized correctly, it is the windows command prompt that flashes.
Here is the action that the scheduled task runs:
cmd /min /c "C:\Users\computeruser\Building Intelligence\javadobe\runCheck.bat"
and here is the contents of the batch file, (probably unnecessary to show, but I was originally trying to run these commands straight from the task scheduler. Putting them in this batch file instead has got me closest to what I actually want to happen: run a javascript file with node.js minimized):
cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\BuildingIntelligence\javadobe\" & START /MIN node index.js /exit
A list of the commands I've tried:
cmd.exe /c start /min "C:\Users\computeruser\Building Intelligence\javadobe\runCheck.bat"
cmd.exe /c start /min "C:\Users\computeruser\Building Intelligence\javadobe\runCheck.bat" & /exit
%comspec% /c start "" /min "C:\Users\computeruser\Building Intelligence\javadobe\runCheck.bat"
all of these commands leave the command prompt box open, not closing it but minimizing it after it opens. There is also a notification that says "not enough storage is available to process this command".
I need to run this task with the highest privileges, and while it needs to be invisible most of the time, it needs to be able to show a dialog box occasionally when the task is run.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Basically, if what you have tried doesn't work, you're going to need a third party tool. NirCMD should do it and it's freeware.
NirCMD exec hide "C:\Users\computeruser\Building Intelligence\javadobe\runCheck.bat"
At the bottom of this page there is a link for the download. This page covers what the tool is capable of.

How to end a batch file with an open command window at a certain folder location

This seems like it should be ridiculously simple but I cannot find the answer online or in these forums.
I want to run a command from a batch file, leave the command window open and end at a particular file location.
I can't seem to get both to happen in the same window. This is for a script to run an automated task everytime and leave the window open to run a 2nd task that has a variable input.
start cmd /k c:\users\test\desktop\dmiwtool1.1\win64\dmiwtoolx64.exe & cd c:\users\test\desktop\dmiwtool1.1\win64\
If I run either by itself, they work (runs the exe, ends at /desktop prompt), but in this sequence only the first runs.
this works here:
#ECHO OFF
START /b "" "path\program.exe" "parameter"
CD %UserProfile%\Desktop
Do not use setlocal in your Batch or put endlocal in the line before the CD command.
This should work:
start cmd /k "c:\users\test\desktop\dmiwtool1.1\win64\dmiwtoolx64.exe & cd c:\users\test\desktop\dmiwtool1.1\win64\"
If you leave out the quote marks, the start command and the cd command are run separately.

How do I minimize the command prompt from my bat file

I have this bat file and I want to minimize the cmd window when I run it:
#echo off
cd /d C:\leads\ssh
call C:\Ruby192\bin\setrbvars.bat
ruby C:\leads\ssh\put_leads.rb
I want the command window minimized immediately. Any ideas on how to do this?
There is a quite interesting way to execute script minimized by making him restart itself minimised. Here is the code to put in the beginning of your script:
if not DEFINED IS_MINIMIZED set IS_MINIMIZED=1 && start "" /min "%~dpnx0" %* && exit
... script logic here ...
exit
How it works
When the script is being executed IS_MINIMIZED is not defined (if not DEFINED IS_MINIMIZED) so:
IS_MINIMIZED is set to 1: set IS_MINIMIZED=1.
Script starts a copy of itself using start command && start "" /min "%~dpnx0" %* where:
"" - empty title for the window.
/min - switch to run minimized.
"%~dpnx0" - full path to your script.
%* - passing through all your script's parameters.
Then initial script finishes its work: && exit.
For the started copy of the script variable IS_MINIMIZED is set by the original script so it just skips the execution of the first line and goes directly to the script logic.
Remarks
You have to reserve some variable name to use it as a flag.
The script should be ended with exit, otherwise the cmd window wouldn't be closed after the script execution.
If your script doesn't accept arguments you could use argument as a flag instead of variable:
if "%1" == "" start "" /min "%~dpnx0" MY_FLAG && exit
or shorter
if "%1" == "" start "" /min "%~f0" MY_FLAG && exit
Use the start command, with the /min switch to run minimized. For example:
start /min C:\Ruby192\bin\setrbvars.bat
Since you've specified a batch file as the argument, the command processor is run, passing the /k switch. This means that the window will remain on screen after the command has finished. You can alter that behavior by explicitly running cmd.exe yourself and passing the appropriate switches if necessary.
Alternatively, you can create a shortcut to the batch file (are PIF files still around), and then alter its properties so that it starts minimized.
The only way I know is by creating a Windows shortcut to the batch file and then changing its properties to run minimized by default.
Using PowerShell you can minimize from the same file without opening a new instance.
powershell -window minimized -command ""
Also -window hidden and -window normal is available to hide completely or restore.
source: https://stackoverflow.com/a/45061676/1178975
If you want to start the batch for Win-Run / autostart, I found I nice solution here https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000932.htm & https://superuser.com/questions/364799/how-to-run-the-command-prompt-minimized
cmd.exe /c start /min myfile.bat ^& exit
the cmd.exe is needed as start is no windows command that can be executed outside a batch
/c = exit after the start is finished
the ^& exit part ensures that the window closes even if the batch does not end with exit
However, the initial cmd is still not minimized.
One way to 'minimise' the cmd window is to reduce the size of the console using something like...
echo DO NOT CLOSE THIS WINDOW
MODE CON COLS=30 LINES=2
You can reduce the COLS to about 18 and the LINES to 1 if you wish.
The advantage is that it works under WinPE, 32-bit or 64-bit, and does not require any 3rd party utility.
If you type this text in your bat file:
start /min blah.exe
It will immediately minimize as soon as it opens the program. You will only see a brief flash of it and it will disappear.
You could try running a script as follows
var WindowStyle_Hidden = 0
var objShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
var result = objShell.Run("cmd.exe /c setrbvars.bat", WindowStyle_Hidden)
save the file as filename.js
Yet another free 3rd party tool that is capable of minimizing the console window at any time (not only when starting the script) is Tcl with the TWAPI extension:
echo package require twapi;twapi::minimize_window [twapi::get_console_window] | tclkitsh -
here tclkitsh.exe is in the PATH and is one of the tclkit-cli-*-twapi-*.exe files downloadable from sourceforge.net/projects/twapi/files/Tcl binaries/Tclkits with TWAPI/. I prefer it to the much lighter min.exe mentioned in Bernard Chen's answer because I use TWAPI for countless other purposes already.
You can minimize the command prompt on during the run but you'll need two additional scripts: windowMode and getCmdPid.bat:
#echo off
call getCmdPid
call windowMode -pid %errorlevel% -mode minimized
cd /d C:\leads\ssh
call C:\Ruby192\bin\setrbvars.bat
ruby C:\leads\ssh\put_leads.rb
One option is to find one of the various utilities that can change the window state of the currently running console window and make a call to it from within the batch script.
You can run it as the first thing in your batch script. Here are two such tools:
min.exe
http://www.paulsadowski.com/wsh/cmdprogs.htm
cmdow
http://www.commandline.co.uk/cmdow/index.html
Another option that works fine for me is to use ConEmu, see http://conemu.github.io/en/ConEmuArgs.html
"C:\Program Files\ConEmu\ConEmu64.exe" -min -run myfile.bat
try these
CONSOLESTATE /Min
or:
SETCONSOLE /minimize
or:
TITLE MinimizeMePlease
FOR /F %%A IN ('CMDOW ˆ| FIND "MinimizeMePlease"') DO CMDOW %%A /MIN
http://conemu.github.io/en/ConEmuArgs.html download flagged by Virus Total.
May have Malware.

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