Question

Hide Batch File in Windows XP

Asked by: chewy747

I am looking to run a batch file in windows XP.  I would like the cmd screen to stay hidden.  Any ideas?

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Asked On
2005-08-19 at 10:31:56ID21533268
Tags

hide

,

batch

,

file

,

window

Topic

Miscellaneous

Participating Experts
7
Points
200
Comments
16

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Answers

 

by: gecko_au2003Posted on 2005-08-19 at 12:19:29ID: 14712161

 

by: waysidePosted on 2005-08-19 at 12:30:16ID: 14712238

How are you running the batch file? Double-clicking in explorer, from another script, from inside a program, etc?

The answer varies depending on what you are doing.

 

by: SunBowPosted on 2005-08-19 at 19:03:25ID: 14714090

Run in background, or taskbar or systray(small). Better imo to run under another product such as soon or at cammond, and run it in non-interactive mode (the default). If you haven't the admin privileges, then tough bananas, you cannot hide.

 

by: paraghsPosted on 2005-08-19 at 19:34:56ID: 14714158

Right click on the cmd file, create shortcut.
Now, right click on this shortcut, click on Properties.
Under the Shortcut tab, you will see a drop-down menu with Run written before it.
Choose "Minimized" from the drop down menu.

When you run the cmd file through this shortcut, the command window will not show up on desktop.

 

by: kneHPosted on 2005-08-22 at 00:41:04ID: 14722339

There's a small .exe which does exactly this.

Your av won't like it though. It is harmless so tell yer AV to back off.

http://users.pandora.be/wouter3600/hiderun.exe

 

by: chewy747Posted on 2005-08-22 at 04:44:24ID: 14723285

it is run from another program that I have no control over.  I have full control over the batch files only.

 

by: SunBowPosted on 2005-08-22 at 14:38:38ID: 14728888

You can still use at or soon command. It requires another batch file. rename the olfdbatch file, perhaps just add digit #2 for example, and call it using the new batch file that uses the old name. I am not sure what options are left in command or cmd from one version to next, what you need is called option for non-interactive. For this and similar features, for managing a system and batch files, try freebie called KixTart, which MS used to have as an unsupported option for the OS. Unfortunately, I don't recall if it had a non-interactive mode.

 

by: SunBowPosted on 2005-08-22 at 14:47:07ID: 14728964

http://www.kixtart.org/

128 page manual, (compare that to MS offers for batch), from the current Word version:

KiXtart and the console
KiXtart is provided in two ‘flavors’: the standard console-based version and a Windows version. The Windows version will only display a console if and when any output is sent to the screen. If desired, this behavior can be overridden using the /I (Invisible) commandline option.

Optionally, on Windows NT or higher, you can also specify the /B option with the START command, to prevent the creation of an additional window.

 

by: paraghsPosted on 2005-08-24 at 20:29:41ID: 14748956

I think one of the two methods should work for you :

1. kneH suggested Hiderun, but not used directly.
Suppose the application calls your batch file, which is named chewy1.bat, then rename it to chewy2.bat, and create a new file chewy1.bat with only following contents :
"path to hiderun"\hiderun "path to chewy2.bat"\chewy2.bat

2. Second option is to use a program called WatchCat (http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/countit.asp?fid=7343&fileidx=1)
"Keep your desktop clutter free by hiding running applications. Hidden apps stay off your desktop, taskbar, and Alt-Tab list, and are accessed via an icon in system tray. This utility includes hot-key support, scheduling features, and a show-all/hide-all option"
Set WatchCat to hide the Window titled chewy1.bat with 0 time lag.

 

by: FREWAL0502Posted on 2005-09-01 at 12:48:10ID: 14805407

I wrote this in an a Question called Autorun recently, this would apply to you too....

Google search with the topic "Batch compiler"
Download a compiler which support silent mode (ghost mode)

Run the downloaded compiler and convert your bat to exe
make sure you choose non-interactive or silent mode = the cmd screen never shows!

 

by: paraghsPosted on 2005-10-13 at 20:50:46ID: 15082915

I feel this question has some good comments to solve the problem at hand, including mine, kneh's & SunBow's.
A split would be best.

 

by: jlevenePosted on 2005-10-14 at 07:00:43ID: 15085367

FYI: I had exactly the same issue, and I used the solution of paraghs, which worked just peachy.  

I used it to give my young daughter an email "account" that filters through mine; the filter directs it to a folder, and the batch script copies the folder to her inbox every 10 minutes.  Works great with Thunderbird.  The only problem was that I didn't realize I had to say ".lnk" in the services setup.  Duh.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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