Batch File calling Console Application - Leaves CMD window open

Question

I am calling a C# Console Application via batch file, in order to send the application output into a text file, with the date/time etc.

The problem I have is that when the console application completes, it leaves the batch window open, because there is a PAUSE (the C# equivalent), so a key must be pressed for the window to close. This means I do not know when the job has finished.

Is there a way I can make the CMD window close when the application finished, without having to change the C# Application code?

@ECHO================================================================================
@ECHO The Application is currently running and may take some time. Please wait...
@ECHO================================================================================
@ECHO OFF

C:\Applications\Job\Job.exe > C:\Applications\Job\Job_Output\"Output_%date:/=-% %time::=-%.txt"

Answer 1

Try this (note the collated dot after echo):

echo.| C:\Applications\Job\Job.exe > C:\Applications\Job\Job_Output\"Output_%date:/=-% %time::=-%.txt"

I have tried with pause and it works well:

echo.| pause

echo. is not echo. It just prints a newline, just what you need to trigger the pause.

Answer 2

Not sure whether will it work if your console app already have a Console.ReadLine() or Console.ReadKey() method but instead of just calling the *.exe use the Start command which will run the executable in a separate window like

start "MyConsoleTask" C:\Applications\Job\Job.exe > C:\Applications\Job\Job_Output\"Output_%date:/=-% %time::=-%.txt"

Answer 3

If you have not access to the console app source code, you may try a workaround

@echo off
@echo================================================================================
@echo The Application is currently running and may take some time. Please wait...
@echo================================================================================

set "timeStamp=%date:/=-%_%time::=-%
set "timeStamp=%timeStamp:~0,-3%"      & rem remove ,centiseconds.

set "logFile=C:\Applications\Job\Job_Output\Output_%timeStamp%.txt"

rem start the exe in the same cmd window
start /B "" """C:\Applications\Job\Job.exe" > "%logFile%"""

rem wait for process startup
ping 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 750 >NUL

rem wait for logFile to be closed. This may flag that job.exe has ended
:wait
ping 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 50 >NUL & rem this avoids processor load
2>nul (>>"%logFile%" call )||goto :wait

rem send a key to the console. This may be captured by the exe file
set "_vbs_file_=%TEMP%\sendConsole.vbs"
(
  echo/ set oWS ^= CreateObject^("wScript.Shell"^)
  echo/ wScript.Sleep 50
  echo/ oWS.SendKeys "{ENTER}"
)>"%_vbs_file_%"
if exist "%TEMP%\sendConsole.vbs" (set "_spawn_=%TEMP%\sendConsole.vbs") else (set "_spawn_=sendConsole.vbs")
ping 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 50 >NUL
start /B /WAIT cmd /C "cls & "%_spawn_%" & del /F /Q "%_spawn_%" 2>NUL"

@echo================================================================================
@echo Process completed. I guess...
@echo================================================================================

exit/B

so,

start /B ...

starts the job.exe executable in the same cmd window.

:wait
ping 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 50 >NUL & rem this avoids processor load
2>nul (>>"%logFile%" call )||goto :wait

waits until logfile is closed, so it may indicate that the previous proccess has ended.

set "_vbs_file_=%TEMP%\sendConsole.vbs"
(
  echo/ set oWS ^= CreateObject^("wScript.Shell"^)
  echo/ wScript.Sleep 50
  echo/ oWS.SendKeys "{ENTER}"
)>"%_vbs_file_%"
if exist "%TEMP%\sendConsole.vbs" (set "_spawn_=%TEMP%\sendConsole.vbs") else (set "_spawn_=sendConsole.vbs")
ping 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 50 >NUL
start /B /WAIT cmd /C "cls & "%_spawn_%" & del /F /Q "%_spawn_%" 2>NUL"

send the enter key to the console, so the process waiting a keystroke may capture it.

NOTE: the ping wait trick works fine only if the IP is unreachable.

NOTE: the call and/or goto trick is discussed here

Answer 4

we gotta simulate a key press here, therefore we should toy with the keyboard buffer.

I am no Batch expert and this is the answer I found searching how to press keys with a batch:

@if (@CodeSection == @Batch) @then
@echo off
set SendKeys=CScript //nologo //E:JScript "%~F0"
rem Open the command here
start "" /B Job.exe > JobOutput.txt
rem sends the keys composing the string "I PRESSED " and the enter key
%SendKeys% "I PRESSED {ENTER}"
goto :EOF

@end

// JScript section
WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").SendKeys(WScript.Arguments(0));

source:

• Press Keyboard keys using a batch file
• GnuWin32 openssl s_client conn to WebSphere MQ server not closing at EOF, hangs