Send output to Windows console from GUI app?

[emendelson]

I have a compiled script that displays a message box with usage information if a user starts it without a parameter.

It is a GUI app, but, if a user starts it from the command line with a switch like "/?" or "-h" or "--help", I would like it to print a usage message in the CMD window instead of popping up a message box. I know how to parse the command line - I'm only asking how to send output to the CMD window.

Is this possible with AutoIt? I don't want to compile the script as a CLI application, only to send output to the Windows console if it detects the "/?" switch (or something similar) on the command line.

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by emendelson

[faustf]

maybe consolwrite  command but i am not sure

[faustf]

look here

 

[emendelson]

Thank you for these. ConsoleWrite() doesn't do the job. I thought of using the second method you mentioned - that is, open a second CMD window and echo the message - but that isn't convenient for a user (it opens a second CMD window), so I'm hoping there's a method that would let the compiled script write the output to the command shell that started it.  

Meanwhile, thank you for those ideas!

[Jos]

Compile the script with the CUI option and you should be fine.

Jos 

[Nine]

Maybe this is what you are looking for :

Opt("SendKeyDelay", 0)
Local $handle = WinGetHandle("[CLASS:ConsoleWindowClass]")
If Not $handle Then Exit MsgBox (0,"","Console not found")
WinActivate ($handle)
ControlSend($handle, "", "", "echo This will be send to the current opened console" & @CRLF)

 

[emendelson]

Nine's method certainly works. Here is another one that may be clumsy, but only clutters the screen with one extra line of text:

 

Func CmdWindowHelpMessage()
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 2)
    If WinActive("cmd.exe") Then
        _FileCreate(@TempDir & "\usagetxt.bat")
        Local $u = FileOpen(@TempDir & "\usagetxt.bat", 1)
        FileWrite($u, "@echo off" & @CRLF & "echo." & @CRLF)
        FileWrite($u, "echo    Usage: MyExecutableScript.exe d:\path\filename" & @CRLF & "echo." & @CRLF)
        FileWrite($u, "echo    [/option=OPTION] [/choice=CHOICE] [/string=STRING]" & @CRLF)
        FileClose($u)
        Opt("SendKeyDelay", 0)
        Send(@TempDir & "\usagetxt.bat {ENTER}")
        ; Sleep(20)
        ; FileDelete(@TempDir & "\usagetxt.bat")
        Exit
    EndIf
EndFunc   ;==>HelpMessage

You could add CLS to the top of the batch file, but that seems a bit impolite.

If there's a better way to do this, I'll be grateful

[Nine]

Yes I was thinking the same, but I would strongly suggest to use ControlSend as it is way more robust and using the class, you can have the same script with multiple language : french, english, etc.  :

Opt("SendKeyDelay", 0)
;Run("cmd.exe")
Local $handle = WinGetHandle("[CLASS:ConsoleWindowClass]")
If Not $handle Then Exit MsgBox (0,"","Console not found")
WinActivate ($handle)
Local $hFile = FileOpen ("help.cmd", $FO_OVERWRITE)
FileWrite ($hFile, _
  "@echo off" & @CRLF & _
  "echo this is the first line of explaination" & @CRLF & _
  "echo this is the second line of explaination" & @CRLF & _
  "echo this is the third line of explaination" & @CRLF & _
  "echo this is the fourth line of explaination" & @CRLF & _
  "echo this is the fifth line of explaination" & @CRLF )
FileClose ($hFile)
ControlSend($handle, "", "", "help" & @CRLF)
Sleep (500)
FileDelete ("help.cmd")

and calling the script help, is more appropriate for the user 

[emendelson]

Yes, that is MUCH better. Thank you!