.Exec - VBScript

.Exec

Overview

.Exec executes a program or command in a new process. It is most frequently used in automating tasks such as launching applications, running batch files, or communicating with external programs.

Syntax

.Exec arglist [waitOnReturn] [errorNumber]

Arguments

• arglist: Required. Specifies the program or command to execute, followed by its arguments.
• waitOnReturn (Optional): Boolean. If set to true, the script will wait for the program to finish execution before continuing. Default is false.
• errorNumber (Optional): Boolean. If set to true, the error code of the executed program will be returned in the Err object. Default is false.

Options/Flags

None.

Examples

• Launch a program:

  .Exec "C:\Program Files\MyProgram\myprogram.exe"
  

• Run a command:

  .Exec "echo Hello, world!"
  

• Wait for program to finish:

  .Exec "C:\Program Files\MyProgram\myprogram.exe", true
  

• Capture error code:

  .Exec "notepad.exe", false, true
  Err.Number
  

Common Issues

• Access denied: Ensure the script has sufficient permissions to execute the program.
• Command not found: Verify that the program or command path is correct.
• Syntax error: Check the command syntax and ensure all arguments are specified correctly.

Integration

.Exec can be used with other commands to automate complex tasks:

• .Output to capture the output of the executed program.
• .Input to provide input to the program.
• Conditional statements to control the flow of execution based on the program’s return code.

Related Commands

• .CreateObject
• .Run
• .Shell