Batch Script

A Batch Script is a piece of system-level program logic which can control specific system functions via a command prompt (most commonly Batch is supported in Windows server environments but may be ported to others).

PowerShell

• How to Write Your First PowerShell Script: https://www.pdq.com/blog/powershell-how-to-write-your-first-powershell-script/
• Windows PowerShell - Owner's Manual: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-powershell-1.0/ee221100(v=msdn.10)
• How to run a PowerShell script?: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2035193/how-to-run-a-powershell-script (instructions for running from within PowerShell .\MyScript.ps1 and CMD prompt powershell -noexit "& ""C:\my_path\yada_yada\MyScript.ps1""")
• How do you execute an arbitrary native command from a string (in PowerShell)?: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6338015/how-do-you-execute-an-arbitrary-native-command-from-a-string
• 'Effective Windows PowerShell -- The Free eBook: https://rkeithhill.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/effective-windows-powershell-the-free-ebook/
• Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches: https://www.manning.com/books/learn-windows-powershell-in-a-month-of-lunches
• PowerShell launch script in new instance: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23237473/powershell-launch-script-in-new-instance

• Starting File Explorer from PowerShell in the current folder: https://4sysops.com/archives/starting-file-explorer-from-powershell-in-the-current-folder/

• How to append to a file with PowerShell: https://www.tachytelic.net/2018/11/append-file-powershell/

• Previous versions in Windows PowerShell: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-powershell-1.0/ee221100(v=msdn.10)
• How to change a File's Date/Timestamp in Windows: https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/change-accessed-modified-created-file-date-timestamp-windows/
• Using Variables to Store Objects: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/getting-started/fundamental/using-variables-to-store-objects?view=powershell-6
• Windows Powershell The Power of Variables: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2007.03.powershell.aspx
• Passing a variable to a PowerShell script via command line: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16426688/passing-a-variable-to-a-powershell-script-via-command-line
• How to run a Powershell script from the command line and pass a directory as a parameter: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13724940/how-to-run-a-powershell-script-from-the-commandvaria-line-and-pass-a-directory-as-a-p
• How do I get the current username in Windows PowerShell?: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2085744/how-do-i-get-the-current-username-in-windows-powershell
• PowerShell Basics -- Working with the If Statement: https://mcpmag.com/articles/2016/03/09/working-with-the-if-statement.aspx
• Powershell, using contains to check If files "contain a certain word": https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18633666/powershell-using-contains-to-check-if-files-contain-a-certain-word
• Powershell - Everything you wanted to know about the IF statement: https://powershellexplained.com/2019-08-11-Powershell-if-then-else-equals-operator/

• How to loop through a PowerShell array: https://www.spguides.com/powershell-loop-through-array/
• Back to Basics - The PowerShell Foreach Loop: https://adamtheautomator.com/powershell-foreach/
• PowerShell Basics -- Loops – Do… Until .vs. Do…While: https://www.computerperformance.co.uk/powershell/loops-do-while/

• PowerShell Arrays: https://ss64.com/ps/syntax-arrays.html
• PowerShell Basics: Programming With Loops: http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/powershell-for-loop,2-845.html
• PowerShell -- Escape characters, Delimiters and Quotes: https://ss64.com/ps/syntax-esc.html
• How do I concatenate strings and variables in PowerShell?: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15113413/how-do-i-concatenate-strings-and-variables-in-powershell
• Powershell -- Everything you wanted to know about variable substitution in strings: https://powershellexplained.com/2017-01-13-powershell-variable-substitution-in-strings/
• How To Test Variables in PowerShell: https://mcpmag.com/articles/2015/12/14/test-variables-in-powershell.aspx
• The call operator (&) allows you to execute a command, script or function: https://ss64.com/ps/call.html
• How do I capture the output into a variable from an external process in PowerShell?: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8097354/how-do-i-capture-the-output-into-a-variable-from-an-external-process-in-powershe/35980675
• Passing value of variable into Get-Content: https://powershell.org/forums/topic/passing-value-of-variable-into-get-content/

• How to Use PowerShell to Check if a File Exists: https://www.itechguides.com/powershell-check-if-file-exists/

• Find line that contains certain text (even large files, as fast/efficient as possible): https://stackoverflow.com/questions/21310538/get-all-lines-containing-a-string-in-a-huge-text-file-as-fast-as-possible
• How To Replace Text in a File with PowerShell: https://mcpmag.com/articles/2018/08/08/replace-text-with-powershell.aspx

• Use Windows PowerShell to search for files: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/use-windows-powershell-to-search-for-files/ | DOCS -- Get-ChildItem

• Add-Content - append to specific line: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31957901/add-content-append-to-specific-line
• Backtick Line Break special characters in PowerShell: https://4sysops.com/archives/the-backtick-line-breaks-in-powershell/
• How to Append Data to a Text File Using PowerShell: https://www.faqforge.com/powershell/append-data-text-file-using-powershell/
• Replacing Contents of a Text File Using Powershell: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31010480/replacing-contents-of-a-text-file-using-powershell
• PowerShell (DOCS): https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/powershell-scripting?view=powershell-6 | EXAMPLE -- Get-Date
• Read file line by line in PowerShell: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33511772/read-file-line-by-line-in-powershell
• How do I write a text file on PowerShell?: https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-write-a-text-file-on-PowerShell
• How To Replace Text in a File with PowerShell: https://mcpmag.com/articles/2018/08/08/replace-text-with-powershell.aspx
• Use PowerShell to Replace Text in Strings: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/use-powershell-to-replace-text-in-strings/
• Invoke-WebRequest -- Parsing HTML Webpages with Powershell: http://woshub.com/parsing-html-webpages-with-powershell/
• Using the Split Method in PowerShell: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/using-the-split-method-in-powershell/
• Splitting a string into separate variables: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30617758/splitting-a-string-into-separate-variables
• PoweSshell script to open web address URL with default browser: https://lockevn.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/powershell-script-to-open-web-address-url-with-default-browser/
• PowerShell cURL – Yes It Exists – Invoke-RestMethod: https://discoposse.com/2012/06/30/powershell-invoke-restmethod-putting-the-curl-in-your-shell/
• Downloading Files with cURL, Including Text and Binary Objects: https://discoposse.com/2016/03/09/downloading-text-and-binary-objects-with-curl/
• Powershell v3 Invoke-RestMethod Headers: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18278977/powershell-v3-invoke-restmethod-headers
• Update-Help on a Server-core behind a proxy: https://serverfault.com/questions/569301/update-help-on-a-server-core-behind-a-proxy
• Building a Wait-Action function in PowerShell: https://mcpmag.com/articles/2018/03/16/wait-action-function-powershell.aspx

• How-To -- Create and use PowerShell Arrays: https://ss64.com/ps/syntax-arrays.html
• Reading (simple) JSON file using PowerShell: https://digitalexpedient.com/2020/07/reading-json-file-using-powershell/
• Working with (nested/array-containing) JSON data in PowerShell: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/working-with-json-data-in-powershell/

• Signing PowerShell Scripts: https://www.hanselman.com/blog/SigningPowerShellScripts.aspx
• Windows Environment Variables in PowerShell (getting/setting): https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_environment_variables?view=powershell-7.1

• How to Reuse Windows PowerShell Functions in Scripts: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/how-to-reuse-windows-powershell-functions-in-scripts/
• Prompting for User Input with PowerShell: https://www.itprotoday.com/powershell/prompting-user-input-powershell

Windows Terminal

Supports PowerShell, standard DOS-style "command prompt", and others; all with multi-tab support for managing several terminal windows at once.

• Getting Started with Windows Terminal: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/getting-started-with-windows-terminal/

Commands

To pass a specific command-line input parameter from a Batch script to a called program within it, use:

%1 %2 %3 ... %15

For the first, second, third and fifteenth parameter (etc).

To pass through all command-line input parameters from a Batch script to a called program within it, use:

%*

Resources

• wikipedia: Autorun.inf
• Runas: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490994.aspx (run a command as another user, i.e. to elevate to Admin privileges, etc)
• Replace.exe Bulk File Find / Replace Command Line Tool: http://www.bestcode.com/html/findreplace.html
• wget for windows: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/wget.htm
• curl for windows: http://curl.haxx.se/download.html#Win32MSVC
• Spring Batch (REFERENCE): http://cdn.dzone.com/sites/all/files/refcardz/rc187-010d-spring-batch.pdf
• The DIR command: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/ntdir.php
• DOS Batch -- Real-world Examples: http://www.dostips.com/DtCodeBatchFiles.php
• PsExec v2.2: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-ca/sysinternals/downloads/psexec (like telnet but for running processes on a remote Windows machine from command-line)
• What is Windows Terminal?: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/terminal/

Tutorials

• MS-DOS Batch Script tutorial: https://cs.senecac.on.ca/~albert.pang/ios100/dosbatch.html
• Using command redirection operators: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/redirection.mspx?mfr=true
• How to unpack a tar file in windows: http://www.haskell.org/haskellwiki/How_to_unpack_a_tar_file_in_windows
• Is there replacement for cat on Windows: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/60244/is-there-replacement-for-cat-on-windows
• Remote Desktop - shortcut gone, where to find exe file?: http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/forum/windows-xp/23208-remote-desktop-shortcut-gone-where-find-exe-file.html (c:\windows\system32\mstsc.exe)
• Windows Command Line Environment Variables: http://libertyboy.free.fr/computing/reference/envariables/
• How to create ls in windows command prompt?: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9362692/how-to-create-ls-in-windows-command-prompt#15043472
• How to find out what file is being used by another process: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/24823010/how-to-find-out-what-file-is-being-used-by-another-process
• How to Set an Environment Variable in Windows - Command Line & Registry: https://www.dowdandassociates.com/blog/content/howto-set-an-environment-variable-in-windows-command-line-and-registry/

• Windows Batch Scripting -- If/Then Conditionals: https://steve-jansen.github.io/guides/windows-batch-scripting/part-5-if-then-conditionals.html
• Batch How To -- Display & Redirect Output: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/battech_redirection.php
• Adding an alias in Windows 7 or making ls = dir in a command prompt: http://www.rhyous.com/2010/10/20/adding-an-alias-in-windows-7-or-making-ls-dir-in-a-command-prompt
• How to create an empty file (i.e. ".filetype" with no filename) at the command line in Windows?: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1702762/how-to-create-an-empty-file-at-the-command-line-in-windows
• Create/rename a file/folder that begins with a dot in Windows?: https://superuser.com/questions/64471/create-rename-a-file-folder-that-begins-with-a-dot-in-windows
• How to empty out (DELETE CONTENTS OF) a folder in a command prompt? (Windows7): https://superuser.com/questions/198078/how-to-empty-a-folder-in-a-command-prompt-windows7
• Command Prompt - outputting results without overwriting target file: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6065732/command-prompt-outputting-results-without-overwriting-target-file#6065745
• Grep equivalent for Windows 7?: https://superuser.com/questions/300815/grep-equivalent-for-windows-7
• Command Prompt Won't Change Directory: https://stackoverflow.com/a/11065668/335867 (if the standard "cd d:" doesn't work for you then try cd /d D:\)
• How do I make a batch file replace a sub string within a text file without changing it's layout?: https://superuser.com/questions/1281743/how-do-i-make-a-batch-file-replace-a-sub-string-within-a-text-file-without-chang
• Is there an equivalent of 'which' on the Windows command line?: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/304319/is-there-an-equivalent-of-which-on-the-windows-command-line#304447
• Windows -- Show Proxy Settings – CMD & PowerShell: https://www.shellhacks.com/windows-show-proxy-settings-cmd-powershell/
• Resolve-DnsName: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/dnsclient/resolve-dnsname?view=win10-ps
• Resolve-DnsName - Formatting and Error Catching: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31257346/resolve-dnsname-formatting-and-error-catching
• How to Get Tail Like Functionality on Windows with PowerShell: https://www.howtogeek.com/tips/how-to-get-tail-like-functionality-on-windows-with-powershell/
• Timestamp in batch file (using %date% %time%): https://community.spiceworks.com/scripts/show/1223-getting-current-timestamp-in-batch-file

External Links

• wikipedia: Batch file
• Windows batch files: .bat vs .cmd?: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/148968/windows-batch-files-bat-vs-cmd?rq=1
• Batch script to delete file older than 30 days: http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-73016-batch-script-to-delete-file-older-than-30-day
• How to determine which program uses or blocks specific transmission control protocol ports in Windows: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/323352/how-to-determine-which-program-uses-or-blocks-specific-transmission-control-protocol-ports-in-windows-server-2003 (this command lists PIDs by Port netstat -ano, then match up name via Task Manager --> Processes tab, using the PID)
• How to Kill Process that is Running on Certain Port in Windows?: http://laksmono.com/2009/12/02/how-to-kill-process-that-is-running-on-certain-port-in-windows/
• Easily identify services running inside Windows XP's processes: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/easily-identify-services-running-inside-windows-xps-processes/
• NetStat: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281336 (help file)
• Windows Command Line Tips: http://www.scribd.com/doc/511785/Notes-Windows-Command-Line-Tips
• Getting the Most out of Windows Command Prompt: http://www.powercram.com/2009/12/getting-most-out-of-windows-command.html
• TCP/IP and Networking Tools: http://commandwindows.com/tcpiputil.htm
• Is there anything that Windows does better than OS X?: http://www.quora.com/Is-there-anything-that-Windows-does-better-than-OS-X (ANSWER: PowerShell)
• A Comparison of Common DOS and Linux Commands: https://www.centos.org/docs/rhel-sbs-en-3/ap-doslinux.html
• "dir" vs "ls": http://allinthehead.com/retro/131/dir-vs-ls

See Also

Shell Script | Windows | DOS