Invoking an exe from Javascript with Arguments

Question

I'm trying to invoke cmd.exe from JavaScript with arguments. But it is opening cmd.exe and doing nothing.

Below is the script.

function f_InvokeEXE() {
 var oShell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.shell");
 var commandtoRun = '"C:\\Windows\\system32\\cmd.exe"';
 var argumentString = '"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\PICT\\pict.exe" "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\PICT\\Sample.txt" > "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\PICT\\pab.xls"';
 var a = oShell.run(commandtoRun + ' ' + argumentString, 1, true);
 }

Its working fine when manually doing that. (opening command prompt and entering that command).

• Ian: I assume you're doing this in Internet Explorer (the only thing that supports ActiveXObject)
• Marc B: you need to use the /c arg for cmd.exe. without that, it wno't execute whatever you're passing in on the command line.
• Álvaro González: Do you need cmd.exe at all? Doesn't WScript.shell allow to run pict.exe directly?

Answer 1

Use the /c arg for cmd.exe. Without that, it will NOT execute your command string:

C:\Users\marc>cmd echo foo
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\marc>exit
C:\Users\marc>cmd /c echo foo
foo
C:\Users\marc>

Note how the version WITHOUT /c just starts up a NEW shell.

• Santhosh Ramini: could you please modify the function I posted as per your answer and repost it? var argumentString = 'cmd /c notepad.exe' is working but var argumentString = 'cmd /c "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\PICT\\pict.exe" "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\PICT\\Sample.txt" > "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\PICT\\pab.xls"' is giving error as "C:\Program" is not recognized as internal or external command