wsh(Windows Scripting Host), Using WshShell.Run to launch console app

Charles Calver
#1 / 5

Using WshShell.Run to launch console app

I'm trying to run a console app from a WSH script on Win95. Both
cscript.exe and wscript.exe have the version number 5.0.531.7.

Here's the line:

iResult = WshShell.Run("sed -e ""/^$/q"" test.ngp > temp.txt",_
1, True)

If I were attempting to execute this in a DOS batch file or directly
at the console prompt, it would look like this:

sed -e "/^$/q" test.ngp > temp.txt

When the script runs, a console prompt flashes on the screen, but I
can't tell what is happening. The file temp.txt is not being created,
so I know that something is failing. The return value is 0 and no VB
error is raised. The command works perfectly from a batch file or
console prompt.

I've also tried using fully qualified path names:

iResult = WshShell.Run("c:\bat\usr\local\wbin\sed -e ""/^$/q""
D:\Temp3\test.ngp > D:\Temp3\temp.txt", 1, True)

That doesn't help.

What am I doing wrongly?

--
Charles Calvert | Software Design/Development
Celtic Wolf, Inc. | Project Management
http://www.*-*-*.com/ ;| Technical Writing
(703) 580-0210 | Research

Wed, 21 Jan 2004 03:47:14 GMT

Johnny Nielse
#2 / 5

Using WshShell.Run to launch console app

Quote:

> I'm trying to run a console app from a WSH script on Win95. Both
> cscript.exe and wscript.exe have the version number 5.0.531.7.

> Here's the line:

> iResult = WshShell.Run("sed -e ""/^$/q"" test.ngp > temp.txt",_
> 1, True)

> If I were attempting to execute this in a DOS batch file or directly
> at the console prompt, it would look like this:

> sed -e "/^$/q" test.ngp > temp.txt

> When the script runs, a console prompt flashes on the screen, but I
> can't tell what is happening. The file temp.txt is not being created,
> so I know that something is failing. The return value is 0 and no VB
> error is raised. The command works perfectly from a batch file or
> console prompt.

Try iResult = WshShell.Run("command /c sed -e ""/^$/q"" test.ngp >
temp.txt", 1, True)

Best regards
Johnny Nielsen

Wed, 21 Jan 2004 17:14:39 GMT

Charles Calver
#3 / 5

Using WshShell.Run to launch console app

On Sat, 4 Aug 2001 11:14:39 +0200, "Johnny Nielsen"

Quote:

>> I'm trying to run a console app from a WSH script on Win95. Both
>> cscript.exe and wscript.exe have the version number 5.0.531.7.

>> Here's the line:

>> iResult = WshShell.Run("sed -e ""/^$/q"" test.ngp > temp.txt",_
>> 1, True)

>> If I were attempting to execute this in a DOS batch file or directly
>> at the console prompt, it would look like this:

>> sed -e "/^$/q" test.ngp > temp.txt

>> When the script runs, a console prompt flashes on the screen, but I
>> can't tell what is happening. The file temp.txt is not being created,
>> so I know that something is failing. The return value is 0 and no VB
>> error is raised. The command works perfectly from a batch file or
>> console prompt.

>Try iResult = WshShell.Run("command /c sed -e ""/^$/q"" test.ngp >
>temp.txt", 1, True)

That worked, thank you. "command" is clearly command.com. %comspec%
appears to work just as well. What does the "/c" argument do?

--
Charles Calvert | Software Design/Development
Celtic Wolf, Inc. | Project Management
http://www.celticwolf.com/ | Technical Writing
(703) 580-0210 | Research

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 10:05:09 GMT

MVP
#4 / 5

Using WshShell.Run to launch console app

Quote:

> That worked, thank you. "command" is clearly command.com. %comspec%
> appears to work just as well. What does the "/c" argument do?

C:\>command /?
Starts a new instance of the MS-DOS command interpreter.

COMMAND [[drive:]path] [device] [/E:nnnnn] [/P] [/C string] [/MSG]

[drive:]path Specifies the directory containing COMMAND.COM file.
device Specifies the device to use for command input and output.
/E:nnnnn Sets the initial environment size to nnnnn bytes.
/P Makes the new command interpreter permanent (can't exit).
/C string Carries out the command specified by string, and then stops.
/MSG Specifies that all error messages be stored in memory. You
need to specify /P with this switch.

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 12:31:33 GMT

Johnny Nielse
#5 / 5

Using WshShell.Run to launch console app

Quote:

> >Try iResult = WshShell.Run("command /c sed -e ""/^$/q"" test.ngp >
> >temp.txt", 1, True)
> That worked, thank you. "command" is clearly command.com. %comspec%
> appears to work just as well. What does the "/c" argument do?

Strictly speaking %COMSPEC% IS the right way to do it ;-)

There are some situations though where you have to ask for COMMAND. Certain
DOS and DOS/OS2 mixed mode executables malfunction if you try to run them
under CMD (some of the selfextracting Compaq support programs which is
DOS-based is a good example).

The '/C' makes the command interpreter terminate when the command is
finished.

Best regards
Johnny Nielsen

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 20:37:31 GMT