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Calling a Batch File Through VB Script

TilakGovind's picture
TilakGovind
April 14th, 2008
Filed under: , , , , , ,

There would be some situations where we need to call Batch file from Scripts. Here the script to call INSTALL.bat

  1. Copy the below code to Notepad.
    Function Tilak()
dim shell
set shell=createobject("wscript.shell")
shell.run "INSTALL.bat"
set shell=nothing

End Function
  2. Save the file as .VBS
  3. Then use this VBscript in Wise Package Studio's CustomActions pane.
0 votes
PRASANNA KUMAR RAJA's picture
PRASANNA KUMAR RAJA
1 year 11 weeks ago

Nice code

Nice code.....It really hepls ....

Thanks
Prasanna Kumar Raja
Sr.Application Packager
Anovatek

Prasanna Kumar Raja
Sr.Application Packager
Anovatek

0 votes
Kinetic's picture
Kinetic
1 year 10 weeks ago

a small addition

For the Run method:

shell.run "INSTALL.bat"

It's good to trap any potential errors into a variable and to tell the method not to execute the next line until the current process is complete.

errTrap = shell.run("INSTALL.BAT", 1, True)

This will return any error codes into errTrap. From there you can log the error or act on it accordingly in the script.

"True" tells wscript/cscript to "Wait until this command is complete before running the next line." The "1" is just the window style. Not that important.

Whenever you are returning values you have to put the arguments into parenthesis.

0 votes
Eshwar's picture
Eshwar
31 weeks 5 days ago

Additional script

Whenever we are executing vbscripts using Altiris, it is a best practice to return Exit Codes/Return Codes to the Altiris. Following is the template that not only return an Exit code but also writes to the Event Log.

Note: Place the executable and script in one place

'-------------------------------------------------- 
'GET CURRENT FOLDER PATH
path = FileSystemObject.GetParentFolderName(WScript.ScriptFullName)
If Right(path, 1) <> "\" Then path = path & "\"
End If

errTrap = shell.Run(path, 1 ,True)

If (errTrap = 0) Or (errTrap = 3010) Then
	'WRITE EXIT CODE [0-success/3010-success&requires reboot] TO EVENTLOG
	shell.LogEvent vbLogSuccess, sLogHeader & "Installation completed successfully." & VbCrLf & "Exit code: " & errTrap
	WScript.Quit (errTrap)

Else

       	'WRITE EXIT CODE TO EVENTLOG

shell.LogEvent vbLogError, sLogHeader & "Installation failed." & VbCrLf & "Exit code: " & errTrap 
       	WScript.Quit (errTrap)

End If


Set FileSystemObject = Nothing
Set Shell = Nothing
'--------------------------------------------------

I hope this may help.

Thanks,
Eshwar

+4 (4 votes)
Sidha's picture
Sidha
31 weeks 5 days ago

Need to define sLogHeader variable

One needs to define sLogHeader variable so that the hedder of the event log will written with this name, befor the following line in the above script
(shell.LogEvent vbLogSuccess, sLogHeader & "Installation completed successfully." & VbCrLf & "Exit code: " & errTrap).

Example
sLogHeader = "Install batch file"

Preferably sLogHeader name should be task name that you are running so that it will be essy identify in event log.

I hope this may help.

Thanks
Sid

+10 (10 votes)
riva11's picture
riva11
1 year 8 weeks ago

Question about nothing ...

I found really helpful your tip, just a question about the command line :
[quote]set shell=nothing[/quote]
What is the meaning for this line in this case ?

Thanks,
Paolo

0 votes
R-Vijay's picture
R-Vijay
1 year 8 weeks ago

Clears the memory allocated.

Its just to clear the cache memory which is being used by the variable shell. It frees the memory once the script completes its execution.

Cheers'
Vijay

Microsoft MVP [Setup-Deploy]
Weblog: www.msigeek.com

0 votes