Batch file called from Javascript/XPCOM doesn't show command prompt window

Question

I am calling a batch file from Javascript in this fashion:

function runBatch(){
    var exe = Components.classes['@mozilla.org/file/local;1'].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsILocalFile);
    exe.initWithPath("C:\\test.bat");
    var run = Components.classes['@mozilla.org/process/util;1'].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsIProcess);
    run.init(exe);
    var parameters = ["hi"];
    run.run(false, parameters,parameters.length);
}

my test batch file is:

echo on
echo %1 
pause
exit

Each time I call a batch file, however, the command prompt is not displayed, as it would be if I simply ran the batch file from the desktop. How can I remedy this and display a command prompt for the batch file?

Edit To be clear, the cmd.exe process is launched - I can see it in the task bar. But no window gets displayed. This snippet behaves similarly:

function runCmd(){  
var exe = Components.classes['@mozilla.org/file/local;1'].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsILocalFile);
exe.initWithPath("C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\cmd.exe");
var run = Components.classes['@mozilla.org/process/util;1'].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsIProcess);
run.init(exe);
run.run(false, null,0);
}

Answer 1

I'd try it with a more explicit approach:

exe.initWithPath("cmd.exe /C \"C:\\test.bat\"");

From the cmd.exe help screen:

/C      Carries out the command specified by string and then terminates

Answer 2

Did you try using the launch method of nsiLocalFile?

function runBatch(){
    var exe = Components.classes['@mozilla.org/file/local;1'].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsILocalFile);
    exe.initWithPath("C:\\test.bat");
    exe.launch();
}

This should have "the same effect as if you double-clicked the file."

Answer 3

The only solution I've heard so far (that should work, although I haven't done it yet, comes from Mook in the Mozilla xulrunner IRC channel:

create a temporary batch file, writing in the batch file to call and arguments to pass it. then execute the temporary batch file.

e.g.

f = fopen("temp.bat"); 
fprintf(f, "other.bat 1 2 3 4 5"); 
fclose(f); 
exec("temp.bat");

not very elegant :-) but it should work.

Answer 4

Pfft, very ugly code.. A much nicer trick is to use Win.com to spawn a 16bit subsystem of the command prompt. Win.com will send the console to the right virtual terminal, showing you the output.

var lPath = getWorkingDir.path + "\..\..\WINDOWS\system32\win.com"; lFile.initWithPath(lPath); var process = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/process/util;1"].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsIProcess); process.init(lFile); var args = ["cmd.exe"]; process.run(false, args, args.length);

Nicer, and works :)

Answer 5

You could try to use cmd /c start C:\test.bat. My guess would be, even if the first cmd process gets spawned without a window, the one that executes the batch (called by the start command) gets its window.

Answer 6

This code snippet seems to work fine. Of course, you have to change D:\Windows\system32\ to path to cmd.exe in your operation system.

const FileFactory = new Components.Constructor("@mozilla.org/file/local;1","nsILocalFile","initWithPath");
var str_LocalProgram = "D:\\Windows\\system32\\cmd.exe";
var obj_Program = new FileFactory(str_LocalProgram); 
var process = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/process/util;1"].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsIProcess);
process.init(obj_Program);
var args = ["/C", "regedit.exe"];
process.run(true, args, args.length);

Answer 7

Nothing is use full for me