StdoutRead a Powershell window.

[blckpythn]

I have a script that executes powershell commands to interact with Office 365(Microsoft hosted Exchange service).

I want to hide the powershell window and interpret the output silently, so that non-savvy users can reset passwords and such without having to learn powershell or understand its errors.

However, when I use:

Func RunCommand($commandtorun)
    $output = ""
    If WinExists("Administrator:") Then WinActivate("Administrator:")
    Send($commandtorun & "{ENTER}")
    While 1
        $output &= StdoutRead($pwshell)
        If @error Then ExitLoop
    WEnd
    MsgBox(0, "stdoutread", $output)
EndFunc   ;==>RunCommand

It doesn't exit the loop until I close the powershell window.(by design I believe)

Is there another way to return just a particular command's output?

Also, if I use $Stdin_child, the powershell window doesn't display its prompt for a command until I close my script.

Is that by design also?

[BrewManNH]

How are you starting the powershell command window? The Run command allows you to read the StdIO streams, have you tried that?

[blckpythn]

How are you starting the powershell command window? The Run command allows you to read the StdIO streams, have you tried that?

 

I'm starting it with the following and having trouble with the stdoutread command.

$pwshell = Run(@SystemDir & '\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe  -NoExit -Command "Import-Module MSOnline"', "", @SW_SHOW, $STDERR_CHILD + $STDOUT_CHILD)

The issue with powershell not showing the prompt is when I add

+ $stdin_child

after

$stderr_child + $stdout_child

I have not tried anything else.

Edited July 12, 2013 by blckpythn

[water]

To keep PowerShell hidden maybe the >COM interface helps.

[blckpythn]

To keep PowerShell hidden maybe the >COM interface helps.

Keeping it hidden isn't the issue, I haven't even gotten to that yet.

I'm just trying to read the output so that when I do hide it, I can see if there was an error with the command and let the end-user know.

[blckpythn]

Little update: Even though it doesn't show the prompt when using $STDIN_CHILD, I can successfully use the StdinWrite() command.

However, StdoutRead still isn't getting any data or exiting its loop.

Edited July 12, 2013 by blckpythn

[Malkey]

>The post here has an example of running a powershell command in AutoIt.

[water]

I have a working example I will post on Monday.

[water]

That's the way I grab the PS output:

$sCMD = "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -command . " & _
            "'D:\Exchange Server\V14\bin\RemoteExchange.ps1'; Connect-ExchangeServer -auto; Enable-Mailbox -Identity " & _
            $Kurzzeichen & " -Alias " & $Kurzzeichen & " -Database " & $sEXDatabase & $sSMTPAddress
    $pid = Run($sCMD, @SystemDir, @SW_HIDE, $STDIN_CHILD + $STDOUT_CHILD + $STDERR_CHILD)
    StdinWrite($pid, @CRLF)
    StdinWrite($pid)
    ; Ausgabe von STDOUT
    $sSTDOUT = ""
    While 1
        $sOutput = StdoutRead($pid)
        If @error Then ExitLoop
        If $sOutput <> "" Then $sSTDOUT = $sSTDOUT & @CRLF & $sOutput
    WEnd
    ; Ausgabe von STDERR
    $sSTDERR = ""
    While 1
        $sOutput = StderrRead($pid)
        If @error Then ExitLoop
        If $sOutput <> "" Then $sSTDERR = $sSTDERR & @CRLF & $sOutput
    WEnd

[blckpythn]

Both of your examples require powershell to exit in order to return the stream, is there a way to return it without exiting powershell?

[water]

What I posted is only one example and it should grab StdOut and StdErr as soon as Run returned. Try this:

$sCMD = "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -command . " & _
            "'D:\Exchange Server\V14\bin\RemoteExchange.ps1'; Connect-ExchangeServer -auto; Enable-Mailbox -Identity " & _
            $Kurzzeichen & " -Alias " & $Kurzzeichen & " -Database " & $sEXDatabase & $sSMTPAddress
    $pid = Run($sCMD, @SystemDir, @SW_HIDE, $STDIN_CHILD + $STDOUT_CHILD + $STDERR_CHILD)
    StdinWrite($pid, @CRLF)
    StdinWrite($pid)
    ; Ausgabe von STDOUT
    $sSTDOUT = ""
    While 1
        $sOutput = StdoutRead($pid)
        If @error Then ExitLoop
        If $sOutput <> "" Then 
          $sSTDOUT = $sSTDOUT & @CRLF & $sOutput
          ConsoleWrite($sOutput & @CRLF)
        EndIf
    WEnd
    ; Ausgabe von STDERR
    $sSTDERR = ""
    While 1
        $sOutput = StderrRead($pid)
        If @error Then ExitLoop
        If $sOutput <> "" Then 
            $sSTDERR = $sSTDERR & @CRLF & $sOutput
            ConsoleWrite($sOutput & @CRLF)
        EndIf
    WEnd

[blckpythn]

 

What I posted is only one example and it should grab StdOut and StdErr as soon as Run returned. Try this:...

The thing is, I'm running powershell with -NoExit because I'm having to authenticate with O365 and that involves running a few commands sequentially.

Then I have to leave that session open to let the user pass commands to. So the proccess doesn't send an @error to StderrRead. Therefor, it doesn't return anything until after the session is ended.

This doesn't help me because I need the errors DURING the session.

I have to run

$LiveCred = Get-Credential <--they need to provide their credentials or I will have them input it earlier and automate it.

Then $Session = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://ps.outlook.com/powershell/ -Credential $LiveCred -Authentication Basic –AllowRedirection

Then Import-PSSession $Session

Then Connect-MsolService <--again, credentials needed.

After all that, they can start resetting passwords and whatnot, but I want to monitor for errors WHILE powershell is still open.

 

Am I not making sense or doing it stupidly?

[water]

Makes sense.

In this case I would have a look at the PS COM interface as I have posted before. Seems to allow to send command by command and return the result in a buffer.

[blckpythn]

Makes sense.

In this case I would have a look at the PS COM interface as I have posted before. Seems to allow to send command by command and return the result in a buffer.

I followed the link in that post but cannot find the ActiveXPoSH download.

[water]

Did you register an account as described >here?

[blckpythn]

Did you register an account as described >here?

Sure did. From the post it looks like it is part of PrimalScript 2012, but that is not free. I'm downloading the "Try It" or trial... we'll see.

Edited July 16, 2013 by blckpythn

[water]

Then I suggest to PM ptrex because he is the author of the OP.

[blckpythn]

Found it by itself here, account still required.

I also update the original post since it was so hard to find. Sorry if that counts as necro-posting.

ActiveXPosh.zip  <- only one that worked for me on Win7_x86

ActivexPoshx86.exe

ActiveXPoshx64.exe

Edited July 16, 2013 by blckpythn

[water]

Don't think it counts as recro-posting. It is just helpful for others

[blckpythn]

Got it!

Using ActiveXPosh, the example of:

Func ExecuteCMD($sPSCmd)
 Dim $outtext
 ; Set the $OUTPUT mode to $BUFFER
 $ActiveXPosh.OutputMode = $OUTPUT_BUFFER
 $ActiveXPosh.Execute($sPSCmd)

 ; Get the $OUTPUT line by line and add it to a variable
 For $str In $ActiveXPosh.OUTPUT()
   $outtext =  $outtext & $str
  $outtext =  $outtext & @CRLF
 Next

 ; Alternatively you can get the $OUTPUT as a single String
; $outtext = $ActiveXPosh.OutputString
 ConsoleWrite ($outtext & @CR)

 $ActiveXPosh.ClearOutput() ; Empty the $OUTPUT $BUFFER
EndFunc

Works perfectly for getting the return of individual commands without "exiting" the session.