Hopefully "ScriptingTipsAndTricks" helps you with your batch file or vbscript scripting :-)\Batch Files

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Batch Files

Batch files are the simplest scripting (automation) mechanism provided by Windows. At its simplest it could be as small as a single command you need to re-use and saves you typing it every time, for example to get the latest version of a document off a file share you might type the following:

 copy "\\SomeServer\SomeShare\SomeFile.doc" "c:\Documents"

If you put that command into a file called "gd.cmd" then all you would need to do is type "gd" to copy the file!

You could even add a shortcut for this batch file into the "Startup" folder or schedule that command with Window's task scheduler and have it happen automatically.

Batch files can contain many lines of windows commands, invoke other useful programs you have installed or make decisions and alter flow.

The following example shows how could create a backup of your EverNote notes to backup it up to your computer and to the cloud:

 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Evernote\Evernote\ENScript.exe" exportNotes /q any: /f "C:\Dropbox\$Backups$\EVERNOTE BACKUP.enex"

There is a very good free PDF called "Batch File Programming (by S Premkumar)" which I recommend you have a look at.

Do not forget to look for useful programs even other scripting languages (such as rexx with its singe EXE no installation runtime) as anything that produces reasonable output to stdout or stderr can be used in batch file.

There are many interesting web sites where you can get more information (a good google should find them), there are quite a few good tips (and subroutines) at the "Batch Function Library for Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003" site, others are:

• microsoft.public.win2000.cmdprompt.admin (best batch file newsgroup)
• Batch Function Library for Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003
• Unusual Batch Tips and Tricks

• Some environment variable related links:

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_variable#Microsoft_Windows (good list of environment variables)
  • http://www.howtogeek.com/51807/how-to-create-and-use-global-system-environment-variables/
  • http://ss64.com/nt/syntax-variables.html

Example code & Fragments

Please see these fragments and examples:

• 8.3 Filename from Long Name - gets legacy 8.3 formatted filename
• Batch File Details - Get Name and Directory of the Batch File
• Case conversion - to LOWER and UPPER case
• CheckForMissingDirectoryUpdateDescEnvVarIfSo.cmd.txt -
• Date-Time - set up time formats YYYYMMDD, HHMMSSSS etc
• Delayed Expansion - in loops
• Dot Net Versions - uses ASoft .NET Version Detector tool to get list
• Drag and Drop From Explorer - need to be careful about double quotes
• Environment Variable Indirection - one variable contains full or partial name of another
• FILE CONTAINS - see if a file contains some text
• FILE NAME Manipulation - returns a files fullname, shortname, extension, path etc
• FOR Loops - for x = 1 to 10
• GetFreeBytes.cmd.txt -
• HandleTrickyCharactersLikeGreaterThanAndAmpersands.cmd -
• IP ADDRESSES from Computer Names - uses ping.exe to get a the information
• IsIpAddress() - determine is a string looks valid as an IP4 address
• LoggedOnLocallyUsers - useful over remote computers
• LOGGING a Whole Scripts Execution to STDOUT and FILE - uses tee.exe
• LOGGING a Whole Scripts Execution to stdout only - progress not seen by user
• Maths - included Looping x times example
• NsLookup() - Look up DNS servers
• PADDING() - Pad on Left,Right, No Truncation
• PAUSE() - which is reliable
• Process (TASK) Information - using PV.exe
• ProfileRoot() - works out the root Documents+Settings directory
• RANDOM Time Wanted - between 11 and 40 minutes past 4 am
• Read File Contents - first line or all lines
• Remove-Trailing-Digits() - removes trailing 0-9
• RemoveTrailingSpacesTabs - removes spaces and tabs
• ReplaceAsterisks() - The asterisk (star) character has special meaning in batch file substitution
• SearchPath() - search the PATH directory list for a file
• Set Iteration - process each item in a set
• SetChar() - sets up BEEP, TAB characters etc
• SleepSeconds() - delay processing for the specified number of seconds
• String Replacement - case sensitive substitution of all or part of a string
• StringContains() - look for some text within another text string
• SubString Operations - extract Left, Right, middle
• Sweep Directories.cmd -
• Trim() - Leading+Trailing Whitespace
• Unknown Number of Parameters - uses the shift command
• WaitForTime() - delay until a chosen time
• WMIC.exe - WMI From Windows Command Line (batch files)

Useful Tools & Links

Some sites with very useful information and tool links:

• You may find some of my free tools useful :-)
• My Tools list in the MAKEMSI manual

• SysInternals' tools are the best :-)
• NirSoft's Tools tools are probably a close second (nircmd.exe is extremely useful)!
• NirSoft's External Freeware links
• Good site by Rob Van Der Woude
  • Tools List
  • Useful commands for Windows administrators
• List of event log related tools
• ABCEventLog (object that allows you to log events under your own source names)

Please email me any feedback, additional information or corrections. See this page online (look for updates) ScriptingTipsAndTricks© is (C)opyright Dennis Bareis 2003-2008 (All rights reserved). Sunday September 07 2014 at 12:50pm Visit ScriptingTipsAndTricks's Home Page