StdoutRead() can't find text in cmd console?

Blue0 · November 5, 2019

Hi,

So I'm trying to make a script that runs a bat file, reads the console and does nothing unless it finds a word I define. I just can't get it to find the word. 😞

😦 Tried searching but didn't find out why this isn't working.

Also how do I make it so that the console still shows up on the screen? 🤨

#include <Constants.au3>

#AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI=y

Global $ResponseText
Global $iPID
Global $CanWeExit = False
Global $xFilter = "restart"


Func _ReadConsole()
    $iPID = WinGetProcess("C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe")
    While 1
        $ResponseText &= StdoutRead($iPID)
        If @error Then ExitLoop
    Wend
    If StringInStr($ResponseText, $xFilter) Then
        WinActivate("C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe")
        Send("n")
        WinWaitClose("C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe")
        $CanWeExit = True
    EndIf
EndFunc


Run(@DesktopDir & "\test.bat", "", @SW_SHOW, $STDOUT_CHILD)
WinWait("C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe")
While 2
WinWaitClose("C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe", "", 1)
If Not WinExists("C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe") Then
    ExitLoop
EndIf
If WinExists("C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe") Then
    Call("_ReadConsole")
EndIf
If $CanWeExit = True Then
    ExitLoop
EndIf
WEnd

This is in the bat file (EDIT3: This is just an example bat I made fast to get the word 'restart' in cmd console and not the actual bat I want to run)

@echo off
echo restart bat to test restart word search
echo would you like to restart
echo press y to restart
echo press n to not restart
pause

Edit: My goal isn't restarting the computer, but to press a key if the script finds my defined word in the console and does nothing if it doesn't.

Edited November 5, 2019 by Blue0

Nine · November 5, 2019

Why do you go thru all that, when you can do all in AutoIt with a few lines of code ? Look at Shutdown function and MsgBox (yes / no button).

Blue0 · November 5, 2019

Because I need to run the bat.. the real bat I want to run installs stuff.. asks for restart (10% of the time). I want to do other stuff after running the bat before I restart. Can't do other stuff before pressing 'n' because cmd doesn't close before that and windows says other install is already in progress if I try to run another bat that also installs stuff. ☺️

Edited November 5, 2019 by Blue0
Phrasing better

Nine · November 5, 2019

You seem to know better...

Blue0 · November 5, 2019

5 minutes ago, Nine said:

You seem to know better...

?

This is a genuine question I'm making. I really don't know how to make the script work.

nooneclose · November 5, 2019

What console are you trying to read? can you show a picture?

seadoggie01 · November 5, 2019

1 hour ago, Blue0 said:

Also how do I make it so that the console still shows up on the screen? 🤨

I think you're talking about executing via the command line. If so, include this at the top of your script:

#AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI=y

Also, take a look at the Documentation, especially RunWait.

Blue0 · November 5, 2019

20 minutes ago, nooneclose said:

What console are you trying to read? can you show a picture?

A normal cmd window.

Blue0 · November 5, 2019

12 minutes ago, seadoggie01 said:
I think you're talking about executing via the command line. If so, include this at the top of your script:
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI=y
Also, take a look at the Documentation, especially RunWait.

Just tried putting #AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI=y to the top of the script but still didn't find the word 'restart' in the console.

RunWait waits until it gets error code or the ran thing closes, right? If cmd ask user input before continuing the bat script, RunWait will just wait, right? So using WinWait and setting the timeout it will continue my script and check if it can find the word 'restart' and go back to waiting until WinWait gets timeout again. Or am I totally off the tracks?

Edited November 5, 2019 by Blue0

jchd · November 5, 2019

Why using a .bat file and not using AutoIt in the first place?

Blue0 · November 5, 2019

2 minutes ago, jchd said:

Why using a .bat file and not using AutoIt in the first place?

I'm not the one who made the bat file. I'm just using it to install the program I wan't.

It doesn't always ask if I wan't to restart or not. Only like 2/10 times it asks for restart. So I need to make it press 'N' so that it doesn't restart before all the stuff I want to do is done before that.

Edited November 5, 2019 by Blue0

jchd · November 5, 2019

Make your life simpler and use AutoIt for that. Just my $0.02

Blue0 · November 5, 2019

41 minutes ago, jchd said:

Make your life simpler and use AutoIt for that. Just my $0.02

The bat runs msi file with some commads. Also it's updated frequently so instead of me having to check if there's a new msi file, figure out the commands (if they need changing or not) I can just run the premade bat.

Edited November 5, 2019 by Blue0

LukeLe · November 6, 2019

@Blue0 AFAIK, console window (cmd.exe - to be specific) generates output using GDI (it's kinda graphic generating tool).

So what you see running in the cmd.exe window (text, for example) is actually generated graphic. That's the reason why AutoIT Window Info, WinSpy or other tools can not read console command's text.

For your issue, StdoutRead just read from STDOUT stream, so you need to modify the .bat to pipe your desired information to STDOUT.

seadoggie01 · November 6, 2019

Gripe: So you're trying to run a broken batch file with AutoIt and execute a second command in case the batch file doesn't execute it? Do you see the irony here?

Anyways, try something more like this:

; Run your batch
; Wait for it to quit
ProcessWaitClose() ;<-- Look at the this function
; Get ALL the output from the process
; If the output contains your special word
    ; Do other stuff

Also, ignore my comment about #AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI ... that's for getting ConsoleWrite() to output to the command line.

Blue0 · November 6, 2019

2 hours ago, LukeLe said:

@Blue0 AFAIK, console window (cmd.exe - to be specific) generates output using GDI (it's kinda graphic generating tool).

So what you see running in the cmd.exe window (text, for example) is actually generated graphic. That's the reason why AutoIT Window Info, WinSpy or other tools can not read console command's text.

For your issue, StdoutRead just read from STDOUT stream, so you need to modify the .bat to pipe your desired information to STDOUT.

So there's no way of reading the content of cmd.exe window without changing the bat? I can't change the bat and the one who makes them probably won't change it.. Have to just use timeout with ridiculous wait time, see if the cmd window still exists and send the key.. ☹️

2 hours ago, seadoggie01 said:
Gripe: So you're trying to run a broken batch file with AutoIt and execute a second command in case the batch file doesn't execute it? Do you see the irony here?

Anyways, try something more like this:
; Run your batch
; Wait for it to quit
ProcessWaitClose() ;<-- Look at the this function
; Get ALL the output from the process
; If the output contains your special word
    ; Do other stuff
Also, ignore my comment about #AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI ... that's for getting ConsoleWrite() to output to the command line.

I don't think it's broken bat.. It just sometimes installs something (maybe, not sure why) so that the bat script requests a restart to finish the installation.

Looked up the ProcessWaitClose. Isn't that basically the same thing as the WinWaitClose? How do I get the output from it?

Edited November 6, 2019 by Blue0

LukeLe · November 6, 2019

@Blue0 Please check if this is what you're trying to achieve:

Run this:

#include <AutoItConstants.au3>
#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>

$iPID = Run(@ComSpec & " /C " & @DesktopDir & "\Test.bat", @DesktopDir, @SW_HIDE, $STDERR_MERGED)
$sTmp = ""
While ProcessExists($iPID)
    $sTmp = StdoutRead($iPID)
    If StringLen($sTmp) > 0 Then ConsoleWrite($sTmp)
WEnd

Test.bat's content:

@echo off
echo restart bat to test restart word search
echo would you like to restart
echo press y to restart
echo press n to not restart
pause

This is the output running on my computer:

+>13:19:48 Starting AutoIt3Wrapper v.19.102.1901.0 SciTE v.4.1.2.0   Keyboard:00000409  OS:WIN_7/Service Pack 1  CPU:X64 OS:X64  Environment(Language:0409)  CodePage:  utf8.auto.check:
+>Setting Hotkeys...--> Press Ctrl+Alt+Break to Restart or Ctrl+Break to Stop
restart bat to test restart word search
would you like to restart
press y to restart
press n to not restart
Press any key to continue . . . 
+>13:19:48 AutoIt3.exe ended.rc:0
+>13:19:48 AutoIt3Wrapper Finished.
Process exited with code 0

Musashi · November 6, 2019

9 hours ago, jchd said:

Make your life simpler and use AutoIt for that. Just my $0.02

@Blue0 :

In your place I would really try to follow the advice of @jchd (if possible). Most installers can be controlled via command line parameters, such as /SILENT , /NORESTART and so on. This is more reliable than processing CMD console streams.

9 hours ago, Blue0 said:

The bat runs msi file with some commands.

Here e.g. a list of command line arguments for MSIEXEC :

https://www.robvanderwoude.com/msiexec.php

Spoiler

Windows Installer (MSIEXEC)

Documented command line arguments

Type MSIEXEC /? and you'll get the following on-screen help:


	Windows ® Installer. V 5.0.7601.17514
	
	msiexec /Option <Required Parameter> [Optional Parameter]
	
	Install Options
		</package | /i> <Product.msi>
			Installs or configures a product
		/a <Product.msi>
			Administrative install - Installs a product on the network
		/j<u|m> <Product.msi> [/t <Transform List>] [/g <Language ID>]
			Advertises a product - m to all users, u to current user
		</uninstall | /x> <Product.msi | ProductCode>
			Uninstalls the product
	
	Display Options
		/quiet
			Quiet mode, no user interaction
		/passive
			Unattended mode - progress bar only
		/q[n|b|r|f]
			Sets user interface level
			n - No UI
			b - Basic UI
			r - Reduced UI
			f - Full UI (default)
		/help
			Help information
	
	Restart Options
		/norestart
			Do not restart after the installation is complete
		/promptrestart
			Prompts the user for restart if necessary
		/forcerestart
			Always restart the computer after installation
	
	Logging Options
		/l[i|w|e|a|r|u|c|m|o|p|v|x|+|!|*] <LogFile>
			i - Status messages
			w - Nonfatal warnings
			e - All error messages
			a - Start up of actions
			r - Action-specific records
			u - User requests
			c - Initial UI parameters
			m - Out-of-memory or fatal exit information
			o - Out-of-disk-space messages
			p - Terminal properties
			v - Verbose output
			x - Extra debugging information
			+ - Append to existing log file
			! - Flush each line to the log
			* - Log all information, except for v and x options
		/log <LogFile>
			Equivalent of /l* <LogFile>
	
	Update Options
		/update <Update1.msp>[;Update2.msp]
			Applies update(s)
		/uninstall <PatchCodeGuid>[;Update2.msp] /package <Product.msi | ProductCode>
			Remove update(s) for a product
	
	Repair Options
		/f[p|e|c|m|s|o|d|a|u|v] <Product.msi | ProductCode>
			Repairs a product
			p - only if file is missing
			o - if file is missing or an older version is installed (default)
			e - if file is missing or an equal or older version is installed
			d - if file is missing or a different version is installed
			c - if file is missing or checksum does not match the calculated value
			a - forces all files to be reinstalled
			u - all required user-specific registry entries (default)
			m - all required computer-specific registry entries (default)
			s - all existing shortcuts (default)
			v - runs from source and recaches local package
	
	Setting Public Properties
		[PROPERTY=PropertyValue]
	
	Consult the Windows ® Installer SDK for additional documentation on the
	command line syntax.
	
	Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
	Portions of this software are based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

Undocumented ⁽¹⁾ command line arguments

My colleague Adriaan Westra taught me the trick to suppress reboots when installing .MSI files from the command line (better believe me, /norestart rarely does what its name suggests):


MSIEXEC /i myfile.msi /qn REBOOT=ReallySuppress

This made me curious if there are more unknown arguments, so I started experimenting.
Try for yourself, type:


STRINGS MSIEXEC.EXE | FINDSTR /R /C:"[A-Z][A-Z]\="

and you'll find the following "undocumented" command line arguments (called "Public Properties" in MSIEXEC's on-screen help) and their default values:


REMOVE=ALL
ACTION=ADMIN
REINSTALL=ALL
REBOOTPROMPT=""
REBOOT=Force
REBOOT=ReallySuppress
MSIPATCHREMOVE=
PATCH=

Note: (1) Actually these command line arguments are documented, but they are not mentioned in the on-screen help displayed when typing MSIEXEC /?.

rudi · November 6, 2019

Hello,

this should help you out of your Problem:

#include <AutoItConstants.au3>

$Bat="C:\temp\test.bat"

$hBat=FileOpen($Bat,2+8)
FileWriteLine($hBat,'@echo off')
FileWriteLine($hBat,'echo this is the first echo line')
FileWriteLine($hBat,':RESTART')
FileWriteLine($hBat,'echo this is the second line')
FileWriteLine($hBat,'choice /c YN /m "do you want to restart?"')
FileWriteLine($hBat,'if errorlevel 2 goto EXIT')
FileWriteLine($hBat,'if errorlevel 1 goto RESTART')
FileWriteLine($hBat,':EXIT')
FileWriteLine($hBat,'echo this is the END...')
FileClose($hBat)


$pid=Run(@ComSpec & ' /C "' &  $Bat & '"',@TempDir, @SW_HIDE, $STDIN_CHILD + $STDERR_MERGED)

$StrOutput=""
$StrMatch="restart"
$Found=0
ToolTip($StrOutput,100,100,$Found)
while ProcessExists($pid)
    $StrOutput &= StdoutRead($pid)
    ToolTip($StrOutput,100,100,$Found)
    if StringInStr($StrOutput,$StrMatch) Then
        if $Found > 2 Then
            $Char="n"
        Else
            $Char="y"
        EndIf
        $Found+=1
        StdinWrite($pid,$Char)
    EndIf
    Sleep(100) ; waiting for BAT file to vanish
WEnd

MsgBox(0,"Process vanished","number of matches found: " & $Found & @CRLF & $StrOutput)

Explanation:

You have to add $STDIN_CHILD for your run command
You have to use StdinWrite(), not "send()" to write to the console of your BAT file.

cu, Rudi.

PS: I guess that BAT file is maintained by some other Person or department, and so it's a "take it or leave it Option" to you.
Nevertheless it's worth a try, that +YOU+ encourage this other Person or dept to natively use autoit for These Tasks, as several other answers here mentioned before.

Edited November 6, 2019 by rudi

nooneclose · November 6, 2019

@Blue0 I am able to send data to the cmd but I can not retrieve it. (The majority of this code was found on the Autoit forms)

Func test3()
    AutoItSetOption("WinTitleMatchMode", 2)
    Run("cmd")
    WinWaitActive("cmd")

    For $i = 65 To 90
        WinActivate("cmd")
        WinWaitActive("cmd")
        ControlSend("cmd", "", "", Chr($i))

        ;MsgBox(0, "Chr(" & $i & ")", Chr($i), 2)

        Local $sText3 = ControlGetText("cmd", "command", "")

        ConsoleWrite(@CRLF & @CRLF & "Test3: " & $sText3 & @CRLF & @CRLF)
    Next
EndFunc

This data to the cmd and can execute it but I am having a hard time correctly retrieving that data and displaying it.

AKA: I can send it to the cmd console. I can not get from the cmd console.

(Sends the Alphabet)

Edited November 6, 2019 by nooneclose
Cleaner code

Block all input without UAC	Save/Retrieve Images to/from Text	Monitor Management (VCP commands)
Tool to search in text (au3) files	Date Range Picker	Virtual Desktop Manager
Sudoku Game 2020	Overlapped Named Pipe IPC	HotString 2.0 - Hot keys with string
x64 Bitwise Operations	Multi-keyboards HotKeySet	Recursive Array Display
Fast and simple WCD IPC	Multiple Folders Selector	Printer Manager
GIF Animation (cached)	Screen Scraping	Multi-Threading Made Easy

Block all input without UAC	Save/Retrieve Images to/from Text	Monitor Management (VCP commands)
Tool to search in text (au3) files	Date Range Picker	Virtual Desktop Manager
Sudoku Game 2020	Overlapped Named Pipe IPC	HotString 2.0 - Hot keys with string
x64 Bitwise Operations	Multi-keyboards HotKeySet	Recursive Array Display
Fast and simple WCD IPC	Multiple Folders Selector	Printer Manager
GIF Animation (cached)	Screen Scraping	Multi-Threading Made Easy

StdoutRead() can't find text in cmd console?

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Windows Installer (MSIEXEC)

Documented command line arguments

Undocumented (1) command line arguments

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Undocumented ⁽¹⁾ command line arguments