Typically, asking the user to supply a file name to a batch script is a messy affair, requiring no misspellings, quotes around paths with spaces, and so forth. Unfortunately, users aren't well-known for accuracy. In situations where input file location is not known until runtime, using a GUI for file selection input reduces the likelihood of user error.
Is there a way to invoke a File... Open style gui file chooser or folder chooser from a Windows batch script?
If the script user has PowerShell or .NET installed, it is possible. See the answer below.
I'm also interested to see what other solutions anyone else can offer.
File Browser
Update 2016.3.20:
Since PowerShell is a native component of pretty much all modern Windows installations nowadays, I'm declaring the C# fallback as no longer necessary. If you still need it for Vista or XP compatibility, I moved it to a new answer. Starting with this edit, I'm rewriting the script as a Batch + PowerShell hybrid and incorporating the ability to perform multi-select. It's profoundly easier to read and to tweak as needed.
<# : chooser.bat
:: launches a File... Open sort of file chooser and outputs choice(s) to the console
:: https://stackoverflow.com/a/15885133/1683264
#echo off
setlocal
for /f "delims=" %%I in ('powershell -noprofile "iex (${%~f0} | out-string)"') do (
echo You chose %%~I
)
goto :EOF
: end Batch portion / begin PowerShell hybrid chimera #>
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
$f = new-object Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog
$f.InitialDirectory = pwd
$f.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*"
$f.ShowHelp = $true
$f.Multiselect = $true
[void]$f.ShowDialog()
if ($f.Multiselect) { $f.FileNames } else { $f.FileName }
This results in a file chooser dialog.
The result of a selection outputs You chose C:\Users\me\Desktop\tmp.txt to the console. If you want to force single file selection, just change the $f.Multiselect property to $false.
(PowerShell command mercilessly leeched from the Just Tinkering Blog.) See the OpenFileDialog Class documentation for other properties you can set, such as Title and InitialDirectory.
Folder Browser
Update 2015.08.10:
Since there is already a COM method for invoking a folder chooser, it's pretty easy to build a PowerShell one-liner that can open the folder chooser and output the path.
:: fchooser.bat
:: launches a folder chooser and outputs choice to the console
:: https://stackoverflow.com/a/15885133/1683264
#echo off
setlocal
set "psCommand="(new-object -COM 'Shell.Application')^
.BrowseForFolder(0,'Please choose a folder.',0,0).self.path""
for /f "usebackq delims=" %%I in (`powershell %psCommand%`) do set "folder=%%I"
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
echo You chose !folder!
endlocal
In the BrowseForFolder() method, the fourth argument specifies the root of the hierarchy. See ShellSpecialFolderConstants for a list of valid values.
This results in a folder chooser dialog.
The result of a selection outputs You chose C:\Users\me\Desktop to the console.
See the FolderBrowserDialog class documentation for other properties you can set, such as RootFolder. My original .NET System.Windows.Forms PowerShell and C# solutions can be found in revision 4 of this answer if needed, but this COM method is much easier to read and maintain.
This should work from XP upwards and does'nt require an hibrid file, it just runs mshta with a long command line:
#echo off
set dialog="about:<input type=file id=FILE><script>FILE.click();new ActiveXObject
set dialog=%dialog%('Scripting.FileSystemObject').GetStandardStream(1).WriteLine(FILE.value);
set dialog=%dialog%close();resizeTo(0,0);</script>"
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%p in ('mshta.exe %dialog%') do set "file=%%p"
echo selected file is : "%file%"
pause
Windows Script Host
File Selection
Windows XP had a mysterious UserAccounts.CommonDialog WSH object which allowed VBScript and JScript to launch the file selection prompt. Apparently, that was deemed a security risk and removed in Vista.
Folder Selection
However, the WSH Shell.Application object BrowseForFolder method will still allow the creation of a folder selection dialog. Here's a hybrid batch + JScript example. Save it with a .bat extension.
#if (#a==#b) #end /*
:: fchooser2.bat
:: batch portion
#echo off
setlocal
for /f "delims=" %%I in ('cscript /nologo /e:jscript "%~f0"') do (
echo You chose %%I
)
goto :EOF
:: JScript portion */
var shl = new ActiveXObject("Shell.Application");
var folder = shl.BrowseForFolder(0, "Please choose a folder.", 0, 0x00);
WSH.Echo(folder ? folder.self.path : '');
In the BrowseForFolder() method, the fourth argument specifies the root of the hierarchy. See ShellSpecialFolderConstants for a list of valid values.
A file / folder selection may be done with pure Batch, as shown below. Of course, the feel and look is not as pleasant as a GUI, but it works very well and in my opinion it is easier to use than the GUI version. The selection method is based on CHOICE command, so it would require to download it in the Windows versions that don't include it and slightly modify its parameters. Of course, the code may be easily modified in order to use SET /P instead of CHOICE, but this change would eliminate the very simple and fast selection method that only requires one keypress to navigate and select.
#echo off
setlocal
rem Select a file or folder browsing a directory tree
rem Antonio Perez Ayala
rem Usage examples of SelectFileOrFolder subroutine:
call :SelectFileOrFolder file=
echo/
echo Selected file from *.* = "%file%"
pause
call :SelectFileOrFolder file=*.bat
echo/
echo Selected Batch file = "%file%"
pause
call :SelectFileOrFolder folder=/F
echo/
echo Selected folder = "%folder%"
pause
goto :EOF
:SelectFileOrFolder resultVar [ "list of wildcards" | /F ]
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
rem Process parameters
set "files=*.*"
if "%~2" neq "" (
if /I "%~2" equ "/F" (set "files=") else set "files=%~2"
)
rem Set the number of lines per page, max 34
set "pageSize=30"
set "char=0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
rem Load current directory contents
set "name[1]=<DIR> .."
:ProcessThisDir
set "numNames=1"
for /D %%a in (*) do (
set /A numNames+=1
set "name[!numNames!]=<DIR> %%a"
)
for %%a in (%files%) do (
set /A numNames+=1
set "name[!numNames!]= %%a"
)
set /A numPages=(numNames-1)/pageSize+1
rem Show directory contents, one page at a time
set start=1
:ShowPage
set /A page=(start-1)/pageSize+1, end=start+pageSize-1
if %end% gtr %numNames% set end=%numNames%
cls
echo Page %page%/%numPages% of %CD%
echo/
if %start% equ 1 (set base=0) else set "base=1"
set /A lastOpt=pageSize+base, j=base
for /L %%i in (%start%,1,%end%) do (
for %%j in (!j!) do echo !char:~%%j,1! - !name[%%i]!
set /A j+=1
)
echo/
rem Assemble the get option message
if %start% equ 1 (set "mssg=: ") else (set "mssg= (0=Previous page")
if %end% lss %numNames% (
if "%mssg%" equ ": " (set "mssg= (") else set "mssg=%mssg%, "
set "mssg=!mssg!Z=Next page"
)
if "%mssg%" neq ": " set "mssg=%mssg%): "
:GetOption
choice /C "%char%" /N /M "Select desired item%mssg%"
if %errorlevel% equ 1 (
rem "0": Previous page or Parent directory
if %start% gtr 1 (
set /A start-=pageSize
goto ShowPage
) else (
cd ..
goto ProcessThisDir
)
)
if %errorlevel% equ 36 (
rem "Z": Next page, if any
if %end% lss %numNames% (
set /A start+=pageSize
goto ShowPage
) else (
goto GetOption
)
)
if %errorlevel% gtr %lastOpt% goto GetOption
set /A option=start+%errorlevel%-1-base
if %option% gtr %numNames% goto GetOption
if defined files (
if "!name[%option%]:~0,5!" neq "<DIR>" goto endSelect
) else (
choice /C OS /M "Open or Select '!name[%option%]:~7!' folder"
if errorlevel 2 goto endSelect
)
cd "!name[%option%]:~7!"
goto ProcessThisDir
:endSelect
rem Return selected file/folder
for %%a in ("!name[%option%]:~7!") do set "result=%%~Fa"
endlocal & set "%~1=%result%
exit /B
Other solution with direct run PowerShell command in Batch
rem preparation command
set pwshcmd=powershell -noprofile -command "&{[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName('System.windows.forms') | Out-Null;$OpenFileDialog = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog; $OpenFileDialog.ShowDialog()|out-null; $OpenFileDialog.FileName}"
rem exec commands powershell and get result in FileName variable
for /f "delims=" %%I in ('%pwshcmd%') do set "FileName=%%I"
echo %FileName%
Batch + PowerShell + C# polyglot solution
This is the same solution as the Batch + PowerShell hybrid, but with the C# fallback stuff re-added for XP and Vista compatibility. Multiple file selection has been added at xNightmare67x's request.
<# : chooser_XP_Vista.bat
:: // launches a File... Open sort of file chooser and outputs choice(s) to the console
:: // https://stackoverflow.com/a/36156326/1683264
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
rem // Does powershell.exe exist within %PATH%?
for %%I in ("powershell.exe") do if "%%~$PATH:I" neq "" (
set chooser=powershell -noprofile "iex (${%~f0} | out-string)"
) else (
rem // If not, compose and link C# application to open file browser dialog
set "chooser=%temp%\chooser.exe"
>"%temp%\c.cs" (
echo using System;
echo using System.Windows.Forms;
echo class dummy {
echo public static void Main^(^) {
echo OpenFileDialog f = new OpenFileDialog^(^);
echo f.InitialDirectory = Environment.CurrentDirectory;
echo f.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*";
echo f.ShowHelp = true;
echo f.Multiselect = true;
echo f.ShowDialog^(^);
echo foreach ^(String filename in f.FileNames^) {
echo Console.WriteLine^(filename^);
echo }
echo }
echo }
)
for /f "delims=" %%I in ('dir /b /s "%windir%\microsoft.net\*csc.exe"') do (
if not exist "!chooser!" "%%I" /nologo /out:"!chooser!" "%temp%\c.cs" 2>NUL
)
del "%temp%\c.cs"
if not exist "!chooser!" (
echo Error: Please install .NET 2.0 or newer, or install PowerShell.
goto :EOF
)
)
rem // Do something with the chosen file(s)
for /f "delims=" %%I in ('%chooser%') do (
echo You chose %%~I
)
rem // comment this out to keep chooser.exe in %temp% for faster subsequent runs
del "%temp%\chooser.exe" >NUL 2>NUL
goto :EOF
:: // end Batch portion / begin PowerShell hybrid chimera #>
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
$f = new-object Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog
$f.InitialDirectory = pwd
$f.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*"
$f.ShowHelp = $true
$f.Multiselect = $true
[void]$f.ShowDialog()
if ($f.Multiselect) { $f.FileNames } else { $f.FileName }
For a folder chooser for XP or Vista, use either the WSH solution or npocmaka's HTA solution.
Two more ways.
1.Using a hybrid .bat/hta (must be saved as a bat) script .It can use vbscript or javascript but the example is with javascrtipt.Does not create temp files.Selecting folder is not so easy and will require an external javascript libraries , but selecting file is easy
<!-- : starting html comment
:: FileSelector.bat
#echo off
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%p in ('mshta.exe "%~f0"') do (
set "file=%%~fp"
)
echo/
if not "%file%" == "" (
echo selected file is : %file%
)
echo/
exit /b
-->
<Title>== FILE SELECTOR==</Title>
<body>
<script language='javascript'>
function pipeFile() {
var file=document.getElementById('file').value;
var fso= new ActiveXObject('Scripting.FileSystemObject').GetStandardStream(1);
close(fso.Write(file));
}
</script>
<input type='file' name='file' size='30'>
</input><hr><button onclick='pipeFile()'>Submit</button>
</body>
1.1 - without submit form proposed by rojo (see comments):
<!-- : starting html comment
:: FileSelector.bat
#echo off
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%p in ('mshta.exe "%~f0"') do (
set "file=%%~fp"
)
echo/
if not "%file%" == "" (
echo selected file is : "%file%"
)
echo/
exit /b
-->
<Title>== FILE SELECTOR==</Title>
<body>
<script language='javascript'>
function pipeFile() {
var file=document.getElementById('file').value;
var fso= new ActiveXObject('Scripting.FileSystemObject').GetStandardStream(1);
close(fso.Write(file));
}
</script>
<input id='file' type='file' name='file' size='30' onchange='pipeFile()' >
</input>
<hr>
<button onclick='pipeFile()'>Submit</button>
<script>document.getElementById('file').click();</script>
</body>
2.As you already using powershell/net you can create selfcompiled jscript.net hybrid.It will not require temp cs file for compilation and will directly use the built-in jscrript.net compiler.There's no need of powershell too and the code is far more readable:
#if (#X)==(#Y) #end /* JScript comment
#echo off
:: FolderSelectorJS.bat
setlocal
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%v in ('dir /b /s /a:-d /o:-n "%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\*jsc.exe"') do (
set "jsc=%%v"
)
if not exist "%~n0.exe" (
"%jsc%" /nologo /out:"%~n0.exe" "%~dpsfnx0"
)
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%p in ('"%~n0.exe"') do (
set "folder=%%p"
)
if not "%folder%" == "" (
echo selected folder is %folder%
)
endlocal & exit /b %errorlevel%
*/
import System;
import System.Windows.Forms;
var f=new FolderBrowserDialog();
f.SelectedPath=System.Environment.CurrentDirectory;
f.Description="Please choose a folder.";
f.ShowNewFolderButton=true;
if( f.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK ){
Console.Write(f.SelectedPath);
}
I will leave an 'echo' even to verify that multiple choice works in this code
echo off
set cmd=Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms;$f=new-object Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog;$f.InitialDirectory= [environment]::GetFolderPath('Desktop');$f.Filter='Text Files(*.txt)^|*.txt^|All Files(*.*)^|*.*';$f.Multiselect=$true;[void]$f.ShowDialog();if($f.Multiselect) {$f.FileNames}else{$f.FileName}
set pwshcmd=powershell -noprofile -command "&{%cmd%}"
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%I in ('%pwshcmd%') do call :sum "%%I" ret
echo =========
echo --%ret%--
pause
exit /B
:sum [mud] [ret]
echo "%~1"
set FileName=%FileName% "%~1"
set ret=%FileName%
exit /B
I has been wrote my own portable solution:
https://github.com/andry81/contools/tree/HEAD/Utilities/src/_gui/wxFileDialog/
You can download executable from here:
https://github.com/andry81/contools/tree/HEAD/Utilities/bin/contools/wxFileDialog.exe
The utility has dependency on wxWidgets 3.1.x, so you can actually build it for other operating systems.
I want to construct a powershell script that downloads a specific set of files. This set will change periodically, so a for loop is the cleanest way to update the process.
The URLs for each file update on a daily basis with both the date and a unique serial number, but I already have a process in place for extracting that info and saving it to a file. I also have a method for constructing a PS script to download a specific file from such a URL:
set /p file_info=<"<path to file with info>"
set file_dir=<known page directories>
set DL=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Downloads\test.ps1
echo $url = "http://<domain>.com/%file_dir%/%file_info%" > "%DL%"
echo $output = "C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Downloads\%file_info%" >> "%DL%"
echo (New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadFile($url, $output) >> "%DL%"
I can also loop additions to a PS script:
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set /p obj=<"<path to file with list of objects>"
set /p file_info=<"<path to file with info>"
set DL=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Downloads\test.ps1
:: restarting PS script
echo #new > "%DL%"
for %%f in (%obj%) do (
set a=%%f
echo !a!!file_info! >> "!DL!"
)
However, when I replace echo !a!!file_info! >> "!DL!" with the echo lines from the first script (adapted in the same fashion), the PS script is no longer updated with the looped content (note that I now use the PS username to avoid any issues with delayed expansion):
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set /p obj=<"<path to file with list of objects>"
set /p file_info=<"<path to file with info>"
set file_dir=<known page directories>
set DL=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Downloads\test.ps1
:: restarting PS script
echo #new > "%DL%"
for %%f in (%obj%) do (
set a=%%f
echo $url = "http://<domain>.com/!file_dir!/!a!/!file_info!" >> "!DL!"
echo $output = "C:\Users\$env:UserName\Downloads\!file_info!" >> "!DL!"
echo (New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadFile($url, $output) >> "!DL!"
)
::alternative that doesn't work either:
for %%f in (%obj%) do (
set a=%%f
call echo $url = "http://<domain>.com/!file_dir!/!a!/!file_info!" >> "!DL!"
call echo $output = "C:\Users\$env:UserName\Downloads\!file_info!" >> "!DL!"
call echo (New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadFile($url, $output) >> "!DL!"
)
Why are there issues using a for loop to add URL download sections to a PS script? Is there a way to avoid these issues?
The main problem with your code is that your echoed closing parentheses are prematurely closing the for loop parentheses. In my example below, I've escaped those with carets, ^.
Example:
#Echo Off
SetLocal EnableExtensions
Set /P "obj=" 0< "<path to file with list of objects>"
Set /P "file_info=" 0< "<path to file with info>"
Set "file_dir=<known page directories>"
Set "DL=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Downloads\test.ps1"
( For %%G In (%obj%) Do (
Echo $url = "http://<domain>.com/%file_dir%/%%G/%file_info%"
Echo $output = "C:\Users\$Env:UserName\Downloads\%file_info%"
Echo (New-Object System.Net.WebClient^).DownloadFile($url, $output^)
)
) 1> "%DL%"
I have a powershell script named CHECKlicense.ps1 which compares 2 dates:
$enddate = (Get-Date 2017-3-14).toString("yyyy-M-dd")
$today = Get-Date -format yyyy-M-dd
if($today -ge $enddate ){
Write-Output "License is expired"
$status=1
}else{
$status=0
}
exit $status
and I want to call it from a batch file and return the variable "status". I tried either
FOR /F "delims=" %%i IN ('"%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Powershell.exe -executionpolicy remotesigned -File CHECKlicense.ps1; (Get-Variable status).value"') DO SET VAL=%%i
and
%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell "&{CHECKlicense.ps1 %* ;exit $LastExitCode}" set code=%errorlevel%
But neither work. What am I missing
I ran this from the batch file to get the output with desired status value.
%errorlevel% has the value of last executed command... in this case is the powershell return value. You can access and use the variable within the script and in the same command window where you executed the batch file.
#echo off
%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell C:\temp\test.ps1
echo This is the code returned by ps1: %errorlevel%
REM You can do other things inside your batch file with %errorlevel%.
Output
License is expired
This is the code returned by ps1: 1
I am having some issues with modifiying a Powershell/batch hybrid script taken from another stack overflow question (https://stackoverflow.com/a/15885133/1683264).
When selecting a file and echoing the command line parameter with quotation marks it works fine if the file name and path are short, however when the length is longer than the cmd window it will split it into two lines.
I think that this has something to do with using a command line parameter vs using a variable, however I am very new to both batch script and powershell and I'd appreciate any help!
<# : chooser.bat
:: launches a File... Open sort of file chooser and outputs choice(s) to the console
:: https://stackoverflow.com/a/15885133/1683264
#echo off
setlocal
for /f "delims=" %%I in ('powershell -noprofile "iex (${%~f0} | out-string)"') do (
echo "%%~I"
)
pause
goto :EOF
: end Batch portion / begin PowerShell hybrid chimera #>
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
$f = new-object Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog
$f.InitialDirectory = pwd
$f.Filter = "DAT Files (*.dat*)|*.dat*|All Files (*.*)|*.*"
$f.ShowHelp = $true
$f.Multiselect = $true
[void]$f.ShowDialog()
if ($f.Multiselect) {$f.FileNames} else {$f.FileName}
I am looking for the output to be
"fullnameandpath.dat"
however if I have a long path and file name I get something like this:
"fullnamea"
"
"ndpath.dat"
I am trying to do a batch that fixes my flash drive from shortcut virus infection. I want to move the files from an unnamed folder (Alt+255) to the root directory of my flash drive, what is hard is that I can't do that with the short name of the folder because it is variable (one time it is 00A0~1 the other is 9DEC~1) so I am thinking of making a command that loops through the folders and prompts them to the user to decide if this is the unnammed folder or no like so (" " is that the folder? (Y/N)) similar to the output of this command:
for /d %d in (*) do rmdir /s "%d"
, but it moves all the contents of it to the root directory not delete it. How to do that?
You might be better off using VBScript or PowerShell for this instead.
VBScript:
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
source = "K:\"
quarantine = "C:\quarantine"
Set re = New RegExp
re.Pattern = "^[^a-z0-9_-]"
re.IgnoreCase = True
For Each fldr In fso.GetFolder(source).SubFolders
If re.Test(fldr.Name) Then
answer = MsgBox("Move " & fldr.Path & "'?", vbYesNo, "Folder Check")
If answer = vbYes Then fldr.Move quarantine & "\"
End If
Next
PowerShell:
$source = "K:\"
$quarantine = "C:\quarantine"
Get-ChildItem $source -Force | ? {
$_.PSIsContainer -and $_.Name -match '^[^a-z0-9_-]'
} | % {
$answer = Read-Host "Move $($_.FullName)? [Y/n]"
if ( $answer.Length -eq 0 -or $answer[0] -eq "y" ) {
$_.MoveTo((Join-Path $quarantine $_.Name))
}
}
Both solutions check the source folder for folder names not starting with an alphanumeric character, underscore, or hyphen, prompt the user, and (on confirmation) move that folder to the quarantine folder.
If you want to use the PowerShell version on Windows XP, you have to install the Windows Management Framework first. PowerShell is included with that package.
This might work for you:
for /d %%i in (*) do echo %%~i |findstr "ECHO is" >nul&& move "%%~i" ELSEWHERE
This may move the folder to ELSEWHERE.
for /d %%i in (*) do echo %%~i |findstr "ECHO is" >nul&& rd "%%~i"
This may remove the folder .
This may help:
#echo off
set "var="
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('dir /ad /b') do (
echo "%%a"
set /p "var=Is that it? press enter for no and Y for yes: "
if defined var (
attrib -h -s -r -a "%%a" /d
move "%%a\*.*" \
)
set "var="
)