PSHELL: How pass arguments to script?

[vefatica]

Here's a little Powershell script.

# cmenu.ps1
$o = new-object -com "Shell.Application"
$folder = $o.NameSpace($args[0])
$file = $folder.ParseName($args[1])
$file.InvokeVerb("Properties")

It works (opens the Properties dialog) in Powershell if I give it a foldername and a filename; for example,

{code]PS> cmenu.psi d:\tc26 tcc.exe[/code]

If, instead of arg[0] and arg[1], I hard-code a foldername and a file name, it runs OK with TCC's PSHELL.

But I can't figure out how call it with PSHELL providing two arguments to the script.

 

[AnrDaemon]

I wonder, which PS it tries to use? I have both 1.0 and 7 installed.

 

[AnrDaemon]

BTW, add $args after first line to see which args it receives.

 

[Joe Caverly]

If I do;

pshell /s cmenu.ps1 e:\utils cmenu.ps1

it works, but gives an error.

Not sure why it works with /s, but not without.

I also made a slight change to your script;

# cmenu.ps1
param($p1, $p2)
$o = new-object -com "Shell.Application"
$folder = $o.NameSpace($p1)
$file = $folder.ParseName($p2)
$folder
$file
$file.InvokeVerb("Properties")

Not a game changer, just the method that I use for getting arguments.

Joe

 

[Joe Caverly]

Hard-coding the foldername and filename, as you noted, works with PSHELL.

I've written a .BTM that creates the .PS1, thus allowing for arguments that are hard-coded into the .PS1

@setlocal
@echo off
if %# ne 2 quit
type <<- endtext > cmenu.ps1
$o = new-object -com "Shell.Application"
$folder = $o.NameSpace("%1")
$file = $folder.ParseName("%2")
$file.InvokeVerb("Properties")
endtext
type cmenu.ps1
pshell cmenu.ps1
endlocal

Not a fix, but an alternative.

Joe

 

[vefatica]

Indeed, this works (i.e., opens the Properties dialog).

pshell /s v:\cmenu.ps1 d:\tc26 tcc.exe

And generates this error:

 

[vefatica]

You can also pass the info in the environment. That makes an alias feasible. But passing args to the script would be better.

alias psprops `set p1=%@path[%1] & set p2=%@filename[%1] & pshell v:\cmenue.ps1 & unset p1 p2`

v:\> type cmenue.ps1
$o = new-object -com "Shell.Application"
$folder = $o.NameSpace($env:p1)
$file = $folder.ParseName($env:p2)
$file.InvokeVerb("Properties")

 

[vefatica]

Throw in another variable for the verb and it gets pretty generic.

v:\> alias verbex
set p1=%@path[%1] & set p2=%@filename[%1] & set p3=%2 & pshell v:\doverb.ps1

v:\> type doverb.ps1
$o = new-object -com "Shell.Application"
$folder = $o.NameSpace($env:p1)
$file = $folder.ParseName($env:p2)
$file.InvokeVerb($env:p3)

 

[vefatica]

This works and produces no error (might have gleaned it from the help).

pshell /s "v:\cmenu.ps1 d:\tc26 tcc.exe"

 

[vefatica]

Here's another incarnation.

param($verb, $target)
$path = split-path -path $target -parent
$filename = split-path -path $target -leaf
$o = new-object -com "Shell.Application"
$folder = $o.NameSpace($path)
$file = $folder.ParseName($filename)
$file.InvokeVerb($verb)

Call it with the verb first and a regular drive:\path\file.ext file spec second.

pshell /s ".\cmenu.ps1 properties d:\tc26\tcc.exe"

 

[samintz]

FWIW - I have an executable extension for .ps1.

set .ps1=powershell -f

I am able to execute your last example by

cmenu Properties C:\tc26\tcc.exe

 

[vefatica]

FWIW - I have an executable extension for .ps1.

set .ps1=powershell -f

I am able to execute your last example by

cmenu Properties C:\tc26\tcc.exe

That's funny. I can't. "Open" works, but "Properties" gives just nothing.

 

[vefatica]

When I try to use an executable extension (as Scott suggested) and the "Properties" verb it does nothing and I get an event log entry

With the verb "Open", it's OK ... it works and no Scriptblock event log entry. Can I turn this off?

 

[vefatica]

That's funny. I can't. "Open" works, but "Properties" gives just nothing.

Apparently powershell.exe was exiting too quickly for the "Properties" verb to work with the executable extension. Putting "Sleep -s 1" at the end of the PS! script solved that. I wonder if it's possible to force InvokeVerb to be (more) synchronous.

 

[vefatica]

Apparently powershell.exe was exiting too quickly for the "Properties" verb to work with the executable extension. Putting "Sleep -s 1" at the end of the PS! script solved that. I wonder if it's possible to force InvokeVerb to be (more) synchronous.

That gets the "Properties" dialog to show, but it closes when the transient Powershell exits. Doesn't that happen to you, Scott?

 

[rconn]

But I can't figure out how call it with PSHELL providing two arguments to the script.

It's not possible. PSHELL only accepts a script name (or a string to execute if you specified /S).

And no, I can't add that feature unless Microsoft supplies a new API.

 

[ohenryx]

For anyone who runs across this thread, and is looking for a good way to get to the "properties" from the command line, let me recommend:

GitHub - STaRDoGG/GeekDrop-Props: A simple command-line utility to open the standard Windows Properties sheet by passing the file/folder/drive path to it.

A simple command-line utility to open the standard Windows Properties sheet by passing the file/folder/drive path to it. - GitHub - STaRDoGG/GeekDrop-Props: A simple command-line utility to open th...

github.com

A very small executable, 169k, totally portable, you can place it anywhere in your path and call it from TCC or CMD or PWSH or ...