Is it bad to run a .exe as a .bat?

[BigDaddyO]

Question first:

Is it ok to rename a compiled AutoIT script to a .bat file? Would running a compiled AutoIT script as a .bat cause any problems?

Background on Why I want to do this crazy thing:

I am writing a backup utility that is going to be replacing an ancient app that was started via a .bat file.

Now, because the old app has been around a LONG time who knows where the end users have made shortcuts for the .bat file, so it will be difficult to do the update as seamless as possible.

The .bat file is very simple and simply launches the old app with some command line switches.

My new backup utility will ignore the switches so I was just going to replace the old app with the new one and let the .bat file launch the new app.

This works but it leaves a stupid black dos window in the background until you close the new app. "Did the same for the old app"

Now, i decided to try and replace the .bat file with my new app not thinking it would actually work but it does... is this bad

Thanks,

Mike

[nitekram]

Question first:

Is it ok to rename a compiled AutoIT script to a .bat file? Would running a compiled AutoIT script as a .bat cause any problems?

I tried it and it does work - but what is in a name? If the users all have shortcuts to the original *.bat file then changing it to the newer version will not affect them. If they all have their own copy, then it really makes no difference what you do as you will have to have them delete the old copies anyway to have the newest version run. If you have a need to keep the file as a *.bat file I fail to see the reason, as the end user is not going to care as long as the program works.

Other than that, I would see no reason why the program would work by changing the extension. As a matter of fact I even changed it to *.com and it still ran fine. I never even thought of changing the extension for a test like this and wonder why it would run. I would think that for both EXE and COM files that it would have some type of header explaining the type of file and if it did not match the extension - abort. I know that you will have to be careful if you have all the files named the same as there is a pecking order - COM EXE BAT (I think that is right, but I do not have any old DOS books to look at)

[Flamingwolf]

just take the bat and put

@start c:/directory/of/program.exe

and that will make the dos window close after its done opening the program =]

hth

Edited November 10, 2006 by Flamingwolf