Working with batch files

[cristyro]

Hello. I want to make a program in VB6 so that if you click a button the program asks you in a textbox for user input then it saves the input as a line in a batch file and runs it. Can anyone please help me? It isn't working. Thank you in advance.

Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib _
     "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
     (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation _
     As String, ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal _
     lpParameters As String, ByVal lpDirectory _
     As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long
     
Const SW_HIDE = 0
Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1
Const SW_NORMAL = 1
Const SW_SHOWMINIMIZED = 2
Const SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED = 3
Const SW_MAXIMIZE = 3
Const SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE = 4
Const SW_SHOW = 5
Const SW_MINIMIZE = 6
Const SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE = 7
Const SW_SHOWNA = 8
Const SW_RESTORE = 9
Const SW_SHOWDEFAULT = 10
Const SW_MAX = 10

Private Sub Command1_Click()
usercommand = InputBox("Enter the command")
        
        
        Dim intFF As Long
        intFF = FreeFile
        Open "C:\start.bat" For Output As intFF
        Print intFF, "somecodehere"
        'Close intFF
        
        Dim intFF2 As Long
        intFF2 = FreeFile
        Open "C:\command.bat" For Output As intFF2
        Print intFF2, "somecodehere"
          ' something
        'Close intFF2
        
        Dim intFF3 As Long
        intFF3 = FreeFile
        'Open "C:\command.bat" For Append As intFF3
        Print intFF3, "usercommand"
        
        ShellExecute 0&, vbNullString, "t", vbNullString, _
             "C:\=start.bat", SW_SHOWDEFAULT
        't = Shell("C:\start.bat")
         ShellExecute 0&, vbNullString, "z", vbNullString, _
             "C:\=command.bat", SW_SHOWDEFAULT
        'z = Shell ("C:\command.bat")
        
        Dim intFF4 As Long
        intFF4 = FreeFile
        Open "C:\=drive.txt" For Input As intFF4
        MsgBox (intFF4)
        Close intFF
        Close intFF2
        Close intFF3

End Sub

[jmsrickland]

Well first off you have to put a # in front of your file number

Second, I have no idea what you are writing to the files

[Bonnie West]

Do you really need to write the batch script to disk? How about executing it "in-memory" like this?

Shell "CMD.EXE /C @TITLE File-less BAT Script & @ECHO Hi %UserName%! & @ECHO. & @ECHO You typed """ & InputBox("Enter the command") & """ & @ECHO. & PAUSE", vbNormalFocus

The /C switch "Carries out the command specified by the string and then terminates". The @ character prevents echoing the issued command to the standard output. The & character concatenates multiple commands together. Environment variables are denoted by %EnvVarName% and can be declared via the SET command.

[cristyro]

Yes I need to because the program adds the user command to the batch and then runs it. It needs other program to run, that's why I work with batch files. Can you please help me fix my software? Thank you.

[Bonnie West]

Can you please help me fix my software?

Which one? The code in post #1?

Can you please describe what you're attempting to do in more detail? Also, can you show the real code you have written so far? Your code in post #1 looks like just an example of what you're trying to achieve.

[cristyro]

That's my only code. I am trying to make a program that does this: it shows a button, and if you click it then it asks you (in a VB6 box, not CMD line) for a command. That command gets saved in a file, and the other program (not mine) uses it (sends the SCSI command to the drive). There is already a batch file which runs that program, but that batch file needs to be updated by this software with the user specified command and then it must be started in order to make that other program (not mine) to send the SCSI command.

[Rattled_Cage]

shows a button, and if you click it then it asks you (in a VB6 box, not CMD line) for a command. That command gets saved in a file

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim something
something = InputBox("What is the command ?", "Command to Enter")
MsgBox "you entered " & something  '''' or 'save it where ever 
End Sub

something like that ?

[Bonnie West]

It isn't working.

It's probably because you were implicitly invoking the Form's Print method instead of specifying the Print # statement.

Option Explicit

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    Dim FN As Integer, strUserCmd As String, strBuffer As String

    strUserCmd = InputBox("Enter the command")

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\start.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "somecodehere"
    Close FN

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "somecodehere"
    Close FN

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Append As FN
        Print #FN, strUserCmd
    Close FN

    Shell "C:\start.bat", vbNormalFocus
    Shell "C:\command.bat", vbNormalFocus 'or vbHide to make the console window invisible

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\drive.txt" For Input As FN
        strBuffer = Input$(LOF(FN), FN)
        MsgBox strBuffer, vbInformation
    Close FN
End Sub

BTW, next time, don't just say "It isn't working". We generally have no idea what you mean by that. Instead, always be specific and state exactly what isn't working.

[firoz.raj]

another point what are you doing with it .somecodehere" i would suggest take one string type variable .and store data in it .together with this please use err handler . so that you will get identify issue .

Option Explicit
Dim FN As Integer, strUserCmd As String, strBuffer As String

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    
    
    strUserCmd = InputBox("Enter the command")

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\start.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "somecodehere"
    Close FN

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "somecodehere"
    Close FN

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Append As FN
        Print #FN, strUserCmd
    Close FN

    Shell "C:\start.bat", vbNormalFocus
    Shell "C:\command.bat", vbNormalFocus 'or vbHide to make the console window invisible

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\drive.txt" For Input As FN
        strBuffer = Input$(LOF(FN), FN)
        MsgBox strBuffer, vbInformation
    Close FN
End Sub
BTW

[cristyro]

There is a problem: the other app isn't doing anything. It just opens and closes fast, like when ran directly from a folder and not using Start > Run > cmd and then running it.

[Bonnie West]

another point what are you doing with it .somecodehere" i would suggest take one string type variable .and store data in it

I think it's just a placeholder for the actual batch script.



firoz.raj

Why did you copy the code I've posted? This is the 2nd time you've done that.

I think you've been warned before not to plagiarize other member's posts. Why do you keep doing that?

[firoz.raj]

There is a problem: the other app isn't doing anything. It just opens and closes fast, like when ran directly from a folder and not using Start > Run > cmd and then running it.

just put breakpoint at command1_click . and debug step by step .

[Bonnie West]

There is a problem: the other app isn't doing anything. It just opens and closes fast, like when ran directly from a folder and not using Start > Run > cmd and then running it.

Can you show the code for that?

[cristyro]

I don't have the code for that app, it isn't written by me. My program just has to save a customized batch which will run that program and that program will send the scsi command.

[Bonnie West]

I don't have the code for that app, it isn't written by me. My program just has to save a customized batch which will run that program and that program will send the scsi command.

I mean, where is your code that shells that other app? How are you calling it?

[cristyro]

At the start:

strUserCmd = InputBox("Enter the command")

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\start.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "start nameofthatprogram"
    Close FN

The "nameofthatprogram" is that program. It runs in cmd prompt.

[Bonnie West]

So, you are starting the program but you are not passing any command line parameters to it? I think the behavior you mentioned is, indeed, to be expected:

It just opens and closes fast, like when ran directly from a folder ...

[cristyro]

I do pass command to it. Maybe the two

Shell

from the code need to be ran at the same time? The first one starts the program and the second one sends the parameters to it...

[firoz.raj]

can you try the following way ? .why are you not using strusercmd after getting input .

strUserCmd = InputBox("Enter the command")

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\start.bat" For Output As FN
        write #FN, strUserCmd  'cmd name will be storedstrusercmd
    Close  #FN

together with this close statement also needs # sign in before . i would really suggest please debug step by step .
after keeping break point at command1_click.

Option Explicit
Dim FN As Integer, strUserCmd As String, strBuffer As String

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    
    
    strUserCmd = InputBox("Enter the command")

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\start.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "somecodehere"
    Close #FN

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "somecodehere"
    Close #FN

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Append As FN
        Print #FN, strUserCmd
    Close #FN

    Shell "C:\start.bat", vbNormalFocus
    Shell "C:\command.bat", vbNormalFocus 'or vbHide to make the console window invisible

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\drive.txt" For Input As FN
        strBuffer = Input$(LOF(FN), FN)
        MsgBox strBuffer, vbInformation
    Close #FN
End Sub

[Bonnie West]

Maybe the two Shell from the code need to be ran at the same time? The first one starts the program and the second one sends the parameters to it...

Well, did you expect two separate instances of the command prompt window to be able to communicate with each other? Of course, they can't. You'll have to launch the app and pass parameters to it using a single batch file ...

OR ...

tell us exactly what the contents of the batch files you have now and I'll see if we can get rid of those batch files by using the technique in post #3.

If you will expose more of what you're trying to do, better approaches/solutions can be suggested.

[DataMiser]

On another note you should not be opening the file more than once here

FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "somecodehere"
    Close FN

    FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Append As FN
        Print #FN, strUserCmd
    Close FN

There is no reason to close the file and then open it again here, all that does is makes the code longer and slows down the program

It should be more like this

FN = FreeFile
    Open "C:\command.bat" For Output As FN
        Print #FN, "somecodehere"    
        Print #FN, strUserCmd
    Close #FN