SendKeys and Command prompt window problem

[Luigino Rossi]

I'm trying to minimize a command prompt window using SendKeys:
wshShell.AppActivate("Command Prompt");
wshShell.SendKeys("%( ){DOWN}{DOWN}{DOWN}{ENTER}");
but the characters Alt+Space do not open the window's menu so the
others characters are sent into the window and not to the menu.

I hope anyone could help me, thanks B-)

[Austin M. Horst]

wshShell.AppActivate("Command Prompt");
wshShell.SendKeys("%{SPACE}N");

-or-

wshShell.AppActivate("Command Prompt");
wshShell.SendKeys("% N");

In the second example; there is a space between the % and the letter N.

Austin M. Horst

[Luigino Rossi]

None of your solutions work B-(

The first generates the error "invalid procedure call or arguments"
The second works like my procedure, the character N is sent to the
command prompt window and of course the window is not minimized.

I also tryed the combination of both solutions:
wshShell.SendKeys("%( )N");
but it works the same way.

still hoping... ;-)

Austin M. Horst <anon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:<A5DCBF14-AFE2-4ECD...@microsoft.com>...

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

Luigino Rossi wrote:

Hi

WSH's SendKeys method doesn't work very well against a
dos box/command prompt.

For a Sendkeys solution that will work for this scenario, you should
use AutoIt or AutoItX.

AutoIt/AutoItX is free and can be found here:
http://www.hiddensoft.com/AutoIt/

AutoItX is an ActiveX control version of AutoIt and can be used from a
vbscript.

--
torgeir
Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of the 1328 page
Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/scriptcenter/default.mspx

[Benny Pedersen]

sbor...@hotmail.com (Luigino Rossi) wrote in message news:<a7d9f7ce.04031...@posting.google.com>...

You can also try this vbs:

dim wso: set wso = createObject("wScript.shell")

msgBox "Minimized:"
for i=1 to 4
wso.run "%comspec% /c " & "ECHO Hello", 2, true
next

msgBox "Maximized:"
for i=1 to 4
wso.run "%comspec% /c " & "ECHO Hello", 3, true
next

msgBox "Normal:"
for i=1 to 4
wso.run "%comspec% /c " & "ECHO Hello", 5, true
next

wso.run "%comspec% /K " & "ECHO Welcome to DOS", 3

set wso = nothing

[Austin M. Horst]

Tested, works for me.

VBSctipt:

Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WSHShell.Run "cmd.exe"
WSHShell.AppActivate "Command Prompt"
WSHShell.SendKeys "% N"

JScript:

var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run("cmd.exe");
WshShell.AppActivate("Command Prompt");
WshShell.SendKeys("% N");

Austin M. Horst

[Austin M. Horst]

[Luigino Rossi]

I tryed both js and vbs, but they does not work for me, both scripts
start a command prompt window with the character N just before the
blinking cursor.

I thanks you all, but for now I give up B-(

Austin M. Horst <anon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:<680E924A-0D63-48B9...@microsoft.com>...

[Peter Nguyen]

You need to give time for the command prompt to open before you can enter
inputs.

Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WSHShell.Run "cmd.exe"

wsh.sleep 1000 ' wait 1 second

WSHShell.AppActivate "Command Prompt"
WSHShell.SendKeys "% N"

Peter Nguyen

"Luigino Rossi" <sbor...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:a7d9f7ce.04031...@posting.google.com...

[Luigino Rossi]

Yes I know, so I tryed also with a command prompt windows already open
but it did not work.

I tested the script on Windows XP and on Windows 2000 with a Script
Host version 5.6

Thanks anyway B-)

"Peter Nguyen" <pet...@adobe.com> wrote in message news:<%Pn5c.239$g07.1...@newshog.newsread.com>...

[ravipa...@gmail.com]

Even iam facing same issue,could you plz tell me your Microsoft Windows Version

[tlav...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 1:25:28 AM UTC-5, ravipa...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Monday, 15 March 2004 02:22:48 UTC+5:30, Austin M. Horst wrote:

This could be made to work up through Win XP, but cannot be made to work with Vista or Win 7. I would therefore have to surmise it is also disabled in Win8.

What exactly are you trying to do that requires a minimized command prompt window? If you are running a WSH script, you should be able to execute it under the Wscript.exe host which doesn't open a console window at all.
_______________________
Tom Lavedas

[cre...@gmail.com]

I had the same problem, and found a workaround using powershell:

powershell -windowstyle minimized -command ""

To restore the window:

powershell -windowstyle normal -command ""

See http://stackoverflow.com/a/27134310/1683264 for use case. I know this isn't a WSH solution, but scripting a batch script wrapper for your cscript command should be trivial.