So why don’t we just call Cmd.exe? Well, suppose you have computers running Windows 98.

The environment variable %comspec% represents the Windows command shell this is equivalent to calling Cmd.exe (which, of course, would open up a command window).

This time around, we use a very different syntax: objShell.Run(“%comspec% /k ipconfig /all”) In the original script we simply called the tool itself: objShell.Run(“ipconfig /all”) The difference lies in the way we call that command-line tool. ObjShell.Run(“%comspec% /k ipconfig /all”)Īs you can see, this revised script retains the same basic structure as our original script: we create an instance of the Wscript.Shell object and then call the Run method to actually run the command-line tool. So how do we fix it? Here’s how: Set objShell = CreateObject(“Wscript.Shell”) The only problem is that the command window then closes before you can actually read the information IPconfig returned (unless you read really fast). We’re guessing that you have a script similar to this one, a script which runs the command-line tool Ipconfig.exe: Set objShell = CreateObject(“Wscript.Shell”)Īs you doubtless know, this script works just fine: a command window pops up and Ipconfig runs. Along the way, though, the Scripting Guys also learned a thing or two about calling command-line tools from within a script, which is why we’re able to answer your question.

It was also a chapter that had no scripting code whatsoever.Īnd you’re right: only the Scripting Guys could find themselves working on a scripting guide that included absolutely no scripting code.Įventually, of course, the Scripting Guys – using a mixture of a little eloquent persuasion and a lot of whining and crying – were able to convince people that maybe it would be OK if something called the Microsoft Windows 2000 Scripting Guide actually had a script or two in it. In fact, the first chapter this Scripting Guy ever drafted for what became the Microsoft Windows 2000 Scripting Guide was a chapter on managing event logs. As a result, this Scripting Guy was discouraged from using WMI or ADSI instead, he was urged to simply use VBScript as a way to call command-line tools. Back when one of the Scripting Guys first started here at Microsoft many people thought WMI and ADSI were way too hard for script writers to use. Hey, Scripting Guy! How can I get the command window to stay open after running a tool like Ping or Ipconfig?

Command window pops up and disappears