Windows Vista : Automating Recurrent Tasks (part 1) - Working with the Command Prompt

As you can see, both WinRS and Telnet are character-based commands that do not rely on the graphical user interface to operate. The advantage of using character-based command interpreters is that they can be captured into batch or command files and can then be used to automate tasks. You can of course, automate tasks in the graphical interface through the Task Scheduler, but being able to trap commands into command files makes it easier to perform multiple tasks at once.

In Vista, you can automate operations by using three methods. Of course, there are more, but they often require third-party tools to execute. Two of the methods are available by default and the third must be downloaded and installed separately. They include:

• The Command Prompt: A built-in character-based command interpreter

• Microsoft PowerShell: A new downloadable command interpreter based on the .NET Framework

• The Task Scheduler: A powerful automation engine.

Ideally, you will create command files either in the Command Prompt or in PowerShell, and then you can use the Task Scheduler to schedule these tasks to run automatically whenever you need them.

1. Working with the Command Prompt

The Windows Vista Command Prompt has been greatly enhanced since Windows XP. It now boasts more than 120 commands with 40 new or updated commands. This gives the command line quite a bit of power. For example, if you want to see the network configuration of a system in one quick way, all you do is open a Command Prompt and type ipconfig/all. This will automatically list all of the network connections with each one of the settings for each connection.

Commands usually require switches to modify their operation and operators to indicate the object on which you want to run the command. The easiest way to discover information about each command is to simply open a Command Prompt and type:

commandname /?

Doing this automatically displays help information about the command you list. In some cases, commands include sub-items. For information on using these subitems, type the command, the subitem and then the help request (/?).

Table 1 lists the available commands in Windows Vista, updated or new commands, and where possible, the corresponding graphical interface tool. Use this table to identify which commands you need to work with.

Table 1. Windows Vista Commands

Command	New or Updated in Vista	Description	Corresponding GUI Tool
ASSOC		Displays or modifies file extension associations.	Windows Explorer
ATTRIB		Displays or changes file attributes.	Windows Explorer
	AUDITPOL	Modifies audit policies.	Security Templates Security and Configuration Analysis
	BCDEDIT	Sets properties in boot database to control boot loading.	Computer System Properties
BITSADMIN		Administers the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), the service which is used to download updates to PCs.
BREAK		Sets or clears extended CTRL+C checking.
CACLS		Displays or modifies access control lists (ACLs) of files.	Windows Explorer
CALL		Calls one batch program from another.
CD		Displays the name of or changes the current directory.	Windows Explorer
	CHANGE	Sets special terminal server modes for logons, COM port mappings, and software installations.	Add or Remove Programs for Terminal Server
CHCP		Displays or sets the active code page number.
CHDIR		Displays the name of or changes the current directory.	Windows Explorer
	CHGLOGON	Controls session logins.
	CHGPORT	Control COM port mappings for DOS application compatibility.
	CHGUSR	Change application installation mode.	Add or Remove Programs for Terminal Server
CHKDSK		Checks a disk and displays a status report.	Computer => Disk Management
CHKNTFS		Displays or modifies the checking of disk at boot time.
	CHOICE	Lets you select one item from a list of choices and returns the result..
	CLIP	Redirects output from the command line to the clipboard.	Clipboard
CLS		Clears the screen.	Show Desktop Icon
CMD		Starts a new instance of the Windows command interpreter.	Command Prompt
	CMDKEY	Controls stored user names and passwords.
COLOR		Sets the default console foreground and background colors.
COMP		Compares the contents of two files or sets of files.	Windows Explorer
COMPACT		Displays or alters the compression of files on NTFS partitions.	Computer => Disk Management
CONVERT		Converts FAT volumes to NTFS. You cannot convert the current drive.	Computer => Disk Management
COPY		Copies one or more files to another location.	Windows Explorer
DATE		Displays or sets the date.	Control Panel => Date and Time
DEL		Deletes one or more files.	Windows Explorer
DIR		Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory.	Windows Explorer
DISKCOMP		Compares the contents of two floppy disks.	Windows Explorer
DISKCOPY		Copies the contents of one floppy disk to another.	Windows Explorer
DISKPART		Displays or configures Disk Partition properties.	Computer => Disk Management
	DISKRAID	Used to access the Diskraid command window.	Computer => Disk Management
	DISPDIAG	Displays diagnostics.	System Configuration
DOSKEY		Edits command lines, recalls Windows commands, and creates macros.
DRIVERQUERY		Displays current device driver status and properties.	Device Manager
ECHO		Displays messages, or turns command echoing on or off.
ENDLOCAL		Ends localization of environment changes in a batch file.
ERASE		Deletes one or more files.	Windows Explorer
	EXPAND	Allows the extraction of Microsoft Update files (.MSU) and launches the Microsoft Update Standalone Installer.	Windows Explorer
EXIT		Quits the CMD.EXE program (command interpreter).
FC		Compares two files or sets of files, and displays the differences between them.
FIND		Searches for strings in files.	Search
FINDSTR		Searches for a text string in a file or files.	Search
FOR		Runs a specified command for each file in a set of files.
	FORFILES	Used to select a file or files to execute a command on it; used mostly in batch jobs
FORMAT		Formats a disk for use with Windows.	Computer => Disk Management
FSUTIL		Displays or configures the file system properties.	Windows Explorer
FTYPE		Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations.	Windows Explorer
GOTO		Directs the Windows command interpreter to a labeled line in a batch program.
GPRESULT		Displays Group Policy information for machine or user.	Group Policy Management Console
GPUPDATE		Updates Group Policy Settings for machine or user.	Group Policy Management Console
GRAFTABL		Enables Windows to display an extended character set in graphics mode.
HELP		Provides Help information for Windows commands.	Help and Support
	ICACLS	Display, modify, backup, or restore ACLs for files and directories.	Windows Explorer
IF		Performs conditional processing in batch programs.
	ISCSICLI	Initiates iSCSI.	iSCSI Initiator
LABEL		Creates, changes, or deletes the volume label of a disk.	Computer => Disk Management
MD		Creates a directory.	Windows Explorer
MKDIR		Creates a directory.	Windows Explorer
	MKLINK	Creates Symbolic Links and Hard Links.
MODE		Configures a system device.	Device Manager
MORE		Displays output one screen at a time.
MOVE		Moves one or more files from one directory to another directory.	Windows Explorer
	MUIUNATTEND	Control Multiple User Interface (MUI) unattend actions.
NET		Controls service status, adds users or groups, changes network configuration, shares folders, and more.	Control Panel => Network and Internet
	NETCFG	Network installer for Windows PE (WinPE).	Control Panel => Network and Internet
	OCSETUP	Windows optional component setup.	Control Panel => Programs => Turn Windows features on or off
PATH		Displays or sets a search path for executable files.
PAUSE		Suspends processing of a batch file and displays a message.
	PKMGR	Windows package manager.
	PNPUNATTEND	Unattended online driver installation.
	PNPUTIL	Microsoft PnP utility
POPD		Restores the previous value of the current directory saved by PUSHD.
PRINT		Prints a text file.
PROMPT		Changes the Windows Command Prompt.
PUSHD		Saves the current directory then changes it.
	QUERY	Used to query information about Terminal Services sessions. Can query users, processes, terminal servers or sessions.	Terminal Services Manager
	QUSER	Displays information about users logged on to the system through Terminal Services.	Terminal Services Manager
RD		Removes a directory.	Windows Explorer
RECOVER		Recovers readable information from a bad or defective disk.	Computer => Disk Management
REM		Records comments (remarks) in batch files or CONFIG.SYS.
REN		Renames a file or files.	Windows Explorer
RENAME		Renames a file or files.	Windows Explorer
REPLACE		Replaces files.	Windows Explorer
RMDIR		Removes a directory.	Windows Explorer
	ROBOCOPY	Advanced utility to copy files and directory trees.	Windows Explorer
	RPCPING	Pings a server using remote procedure call (RPC).
RUNAS		Changes the credentials used to execute a command. Note: This command cannot generate an elevated status like the Run As Administrator command can. In Vista, it can only be used to lower credentials, not elevate them.	Run As Administrator
SC		Displays or configures services (background processes).	Services
SCHTASKS		Schedules commands and programs to run on a computer.	Task Scheduler
SECEDIT		To work with security templates and update security configurations.	Security Templates Security and Configuration Analysis
SET		Displays, sets, or removes Windows environment variables.
SETLOCAL		Begins localization of environment changes in a batch file.
	SETX	Controls environment variables in the user or system environment.
SHIFT		Shifts the position of replaceable parameters in batch files.
SHUTDOWN		Allows proper local or remote shutdown of machine.	Start Menu => Shutdown
SORT		Sorts input.
START		Starts a separate window to run a specified program or command.	Windows Explorer
SUBST		Associates a path with a drive letter.	Computer => Disk Management
SYSTEMINFO		Displays machine specific properties and configuration.	System Information
	SXSTRACE	Windows side-by-side (WinSxS) tracing tool.
	TAKEOWN	Controls file ownership.	Windows Explorer
TASKKILL		Kill or stop a running process or application.	Task Manager
TIME		Displays or sets the system time.	Control Panel => Date and Time
	TIMEOUT	Controls wait times in batch files.
TITLE		Sets the window title for a CMD. EXE session.
TRACERT		Determines the path taken to a destination by sending Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request messages to the destination.
	TRACERPT	Used to generate trace reports.	Event Viewer
TREE		Graphically displays the directory structure of a drive or path.	Windows Explorer
TYPE		Displays the contents of a text file.	Notepad
VER		Displays the Windows version.	System Information
VERIFY		Tells Windows whether to verify that your files are written correctly to a disk.
VOL		Displays a disk volume label and serial number.	Computer => Disk Management
XCOPY		Copies files and directory trees.	Windows Explorer
	WAITFOR	Used to send, or wait for, a signal on a system.
	WBADMIN	Controls backups and restores.	Backup and Restore Center
	WCEUTIL	Controls the Windows event collector.	Event Viewer
	WEVTUTIL	Control Windows events.	Event Viewer
	WHERE	Used to display the location of files matching a given search.	Search
	WHOAMI	Gets user name and group information along with security identifiers (SID), privileges, logon identifier (logon ID) for the current user (access token) on the local system.	System Information
	WINRS	Launches the Windows remote shell.
	WINSAT	Launches the Windows system assessment tool.
WMIC		Displays WMI information inside interactive command shell.

There are several ways to work with the Command Prompt. Usually, you need to access an elevated Command Prompt to perform a given operation. Remember that to do this, you need to right-click on the shortcut in your Quick Launch area and select Run As Administrator. This way, everything you run from the Command Prompt will be elevated.

Creating command files

In addition, you'll want to run multiple commands in a series. For example, you can run uptime reports on a series of PCs. To do this, you use the uptime command. This tool is designed specifically to report on system uptime.

Using this tool and a little ingenuity, you can produce your uptime reports automatically. Basically, you need to run the following command:

uptime \\PCname

To run a report on multiple computers, you would repeat the line one after another. To simplify the process, put these commands into a command file:

1. Choose Start Menu => Search => Notepad to open the Notepad.

2. Type uptime \\PCname and repeat for each PC. Make sure each command is on its own line.

3. When you're done, choose File => Save. In the Save dialog box, use the drop-down list under Save as type to choose All Files. You can change the extension of the text file; otherwise all files are created with the TXT extension.

4. Name the file UptimeReport.cmd and save it under your Documents folder.

5. To generate a report, open an elevated Command Prompt, change folders to your Documents folder, and type:

   UptimeReport

   
   

   This will produce a report of uptime on each PC in the list.

Now, you'll find that this report isn't so useful because it produces output on the screen and you need to review the screen to see the results of each PC. This is why you should use the pipe (>) command. Using the pipe command will automatically output the results of your command into a text file so that you can review them through Notepad. This makes it a lot easier to verify report outputs. You can even schedule the task in Task Scheduler and review the resulting output at your leisure. Use the following structure to pipe output into a text file:

UptimeReport >UptimeReportDate.txt

You include the date into the title of the file so that you can differentiate output reports.

Creating an elevated Command Prompt Here hack

One of the most annoying things with the Command Prompt is the location it leaves you in when you launch it. If you need to get to another location in your folder structure, you often have to use the cd command several times to get to the appropriate location. This takes time, time you don't have when dealing with issues. Ideally, you should be able to navigate to the proper location through Windows Explorer and then, when you're there, generate a Command Prompt, even an elevated Command Prompt, in that location. For this, you need a registry hack.

1. Use Notepad to type the following text into a text file:

   Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd]
   @="Comm&and Prompt here"
   "NoWorkingDirectory"=""
   "Extended"=-
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd\command]
   @="cmd.exe /k \"pushd %L && title Command Prompt\""
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
   @="Ele&vated Comm&and Prompt here"
   "NoWorkingDirectory"=""
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
   @="cmd.exe /k \"pushd %L && title Command Prompt\""
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\cmd]
   @="Comm&and Prompt here"
   "NoWorkingDirectory"=""
   "Extended"=-
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\cmd\command]
   @="cmd.exe /k \"pushd %L && title Command Prompt\""
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas]
   @="Ele&vated Comm&and Prompt here"
   "NoWorkingDirectory"=""
   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas\command]
   @="cmd.exe /k \"pushd %L && title Command Prompt\""
   
   					  

   
   

   NOTE

   Make sure you type in the text displayed here exactly as it appears. Double-check your text after you typed it. Making Registry changes is a tricky proposition at best so make sure you do it right.

2. Save the text file as CommandPromptHere.reg. Make sure you use the All Files option in the Save dialog box, otherwise your file will also have a .TXT extension. You use the .REG extension because it is the extension used to update Registry settings through text files.

3. Close Notepad.

4. Now, double-click the CommandPromptHere.reg file through Windows Explorer. Accept the UAC prompt and then accept the Registry Editor warning. Click OK when the Registry has been updated.

5. Now, you can go to any folder in Windows Explorer, and right-click it to select either Command Prompt Here or Elevated Command Prompt Here from the context menu, as seen in Figure 1.

   Figure 1. Using a Registry Hack to create Command Prompt Here options

   

Now you can save time by being able to get the Command Prompt exactly where you need it.