Pausing a batch file when double-clicked but not when run from a console window?

Question

Is there a way for a batch file (in this case, running on Windows XP) to determine whether it was launched from a command line (i.e. inside a console window) or launched via the shell (e.g. by double-clicking)?

I have a script which I'd like to have pause at certain points when run via the shell, but not when run at a command line. I've seen a similar question on SO, but am unable to use the same solution for two reasons: first, whether or not it pauses needs to be dependent on multiple factors, only one of which is whether it was double-clicked. Second, I'll be distributing this script to others on my team and I can't realistically ask all of them to make registry changes which will affect all scripts.

Is this possible?

Answer 1

I don't know the answer, but thing that would be simple to try is adding the following to the top of your batch file: set > variables.txt and compare the result of invoking from the command line to running via the shell, to see if there are any environment variables that are set differently.

Answer 2

One approach might be to create an autoexec.nt file in the root of c:\ that looks something like:

@set nested=%nested%Z

In your batch file, check if %nested% is "Z" - if it is "Z" then you've been double-clicked, so pause. If it's not "Z" - its going to be "ZZ" or "ZZZ" etc as CMD inherits the environment block of the parent process.

-Oisin

Answer 3

Found one :-) – After desperately thinking of what cmd might do when run interactively but not when launching a batch file directly ... I finally found one.

The pseudo-variable %cmdcmdline contains the command line that was used to launch cmd. In case cmd was started normally this contains something akin to the following:

"C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe"

However, when launching a batch file it looks like this:

cmd /c ""C:\Users\Me\test.cmd" "

Small demo:

@echo off
for %%x in (%cmdcmdline%) do if %%~x==/c set DOUBLECLICKED=1
if defined DOUBLECLICKED pause

This way of checking might not be the most robust, though, but /c should only be present as an argument if a batch file was launched directly.

Tested here on Windows 7 x64. It may or may not work, break, do something weird, eat children (might be a good thing) or bite you in the nose.