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CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle)

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  CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-16 10:22 +0200
    Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2019-04-16 08:22 -0400
      Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-16 14:53 +0200
        Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2019-04-16 09:11 -0400
          Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-16 17:43 +0200
    Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) JJ <jj4public@vfemail.net> - 2019-04-17 13:29 +0700
      Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-17 10:35 +0200
        Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) JJ <jj4public@vfemail.net> - 2019-04-18 09:24 +0700
          Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-18 08:56 +0200
            Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2019-04-18 08:35 -0400
              Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2019-04-18 10:25 -0400
              Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-18 18:50 +0200
            Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) JJ <jj4public@vfemail.net> - 2019-04-19 12:32 +0700
              Re: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-19 08:04 +0200
                Dictionary oddity (was: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle)) JJ <jj4public@vfemail.net> - 2019-04-20 22:37 +0700
                  Re: Dictionary oddity (was: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle)) "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2019-04-20 12:22 -0400
                    Re: Dictionary oddity (was: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle)) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-20 20:02 +0200
                    Re: Dictionary oddity JJ <jj4public@vfemail.net> - 2019-04-21 18:33 +0700
                  Re: Dictionary oddity (was: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle)) "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-20 19:34 +0200
                    Re: Dictionary oddity JJ <jj4public@vfemail.net> - 2019-04-21 18:55 +0700
                      Re: Dictionary oddity "R.Wieser" <address@not.available> - 2019-04-21 15:13 +0200

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#12074 — CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle)

Hello all,

I'm creating a shortcut to cmd.exe, and would like to have the "Command 
Prompt Properties" -> "Options" -> "Full screen" (radio button) selected . 
Is there any way I can do that with the CreateShortcut object ?

I've tried to google the solution, but for some reason "VBScript 
CreateShortcut CMD.EXE fullscreen" (or variations on it) doesn't give any 
related info back.

I (ofcourse) did find the "WindowStyle" property, but it gets overruled by 
the above setting. :-|

The targetted OS is XP pro.

Remark: After starting the command-prompt I'm using the (DOS) MODE command 
to make it truly fullscreen (and not some half-assed window).

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

P.s.
An(y )other method to script the the above setting is ofcourse welcome too. 
:-)

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#12075

"R.Wieser" <address@not.available> wrote
|
| I'm creating a shortcut to cmd.exe, and would like to have the "Command
| Prompt Properties" -> "Options" -> "Full screen" (radio button) selected .
| Is there any way I can do that with the CreateShortcut object ?
|

  You can't set program options in a shortcut. WSH is giving you
the options that Windows has for IShellLink.

  Interestingly, I set it up, from the Start Menu, to have a
small window, a white background, and brown text. (I figured
if I have to sometimes use command line I could at least have
it readable and not looking like a computer from a 1960 movie.)
The interesting part is that if I use that shortcut I get my
settings but if I double-click cmd.exe I don't. So I'd suggest
making the shortcut, making you adjustments when opened
from there, then using that shortcut. It seems to create
the shortcut differently, as though it were a DOS shortcut. 

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#12076

Mayayana,

>  You can't set program options in a shortcut.

That is what I found too, but hoped that I was wrong and just didn't have 
all the info.

> The interesting part is that if I use that shortcut I get
> my settings but if I double-click cmd.exe I don't.

Thats easy to explain: When the shortcut (with its extra options) is started 
it (most likely) uses CreateProcess, supplying it with a STARTUPINFO record 
with the preferences filled in (from those program-shortcut settings). 
When you start cmd directly you get a STARTUPINFO record with the OS 
defaults.

> So I'd suggest making the shortcut, making you adjustments
> when opened from there,

:-) That last part is what I was trying to circumvent (I'm trying to create 
a one-click default setup).

> It seems to create the shortcut differently, as though it were
> a DOS shortcut.

It is.  Most likely in response to the subsystem field in the executables PE 
header.

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

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#12077

"R.Wieser" <address@not.available> wrote

| > So I'd suggest making the shortcut, making you adjustments
| > when opened from there,
|
| :-) That last part is what I was trying to circumvent (I'm trying to 
create
| a one-click default setup).
|

   What I meant is that if you open from that shortcut,
then make adjustments, the shortcut itself will remember
them. It seems to be part of these DOS-esque shortcuts.

  Likewise, if you right-click -> Properties you'll see all of
those options in the shortcut, which are not in a normal
shortcut. You can then choose your options from there.
In other words, cmd.exe has it's own special kind of shortcut.

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#12078

Mayayana,

>   What I meant is that if you open from that shortcut,
> then make adjustments, the shortcut itself will remember
> them.

Yes, I know you ment that.   The thing is that I'm trying to be extemely 
lazy, and have the 'puter do it for me.

>  Likewise, if you right-click -> Properties you'll see all of
> those options in the shortcut, which are not in a normal
> shortcut.

Remember that I, in my initial message, pointed out the exact setting I 
wanted to apply ? :-)

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

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#12079

On Tue, 16 Apr 2019 10:22:55 +0200, R.Wieser wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> I'm creating a shortcut to cmd.exe, and would like to have the "Command 
> Prompt Properties" -> "Options" -> "Full screen" (radio button) selected . 
> Is there any way I can do that with the CreateShortcut object ?
> 
> I've tried to google the solution, but for some reason "VBScript 
> CreateShortcut CMD.EXE fullscreen" (or variations on it) doesn't give any 
> related info back.
> 
> I (ofcourse) did find the "WindowStyle" property, but it gets overruled by 
> the above setting. :-|
> 
> The targetted OS is XP pro.
> 
> Remark: After starting the command-prompt I'm using the (DOS) MODE command 
> to make it truly fullscreen (and not some half-assed window).
> 
> Regards,
> Rudy Wieser
> 
> P.s.
> An(y )other method to script the the above setting is ofcourse welcome too. 
> :-)

Not programmatically possible using VBScript, because the API is a COM
interface IShellLinkDataList. It's not accessible from VBScript. You'll have
to use PowerShell to access it.

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#12080

JJ,

> Not programmatically possible using VBScript, because the API is
> a COM interface IShellLinkDataList.

Odd.  I can use CreateShortcut to create and alter it, but some of its 
attributes remain inaccessible.  Oh well.

I just did a google for "VBScript IShellLinkDataList".  Don't you just hate 
it when even the first page has results which do not even contain the words 
you're looking for.  I know I do. :-(

> It's not accessible from VBScript. You'll have to use PowerShell to
> access it.

??? /what/ powershell ?    This is Sparta^wXP ! :-)

Though while doing the above search I came across one which mentioned that 
setting a "run as administrator" just needed the flipping of one bit in the 
.lnk file, which made me realize I could most likely do the same.

Alas, although I think I found the byte it looks like that its not at a 
fixed location (even copying the origional .lnk file to a new location and 
changing the setting caused it to change its size), meaning that the file 
needs to be parsed.   Assuming I can access the file in a binary fashion 
that is.

I'll probably take a look at it, just not now. :-)

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

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#12081

On Wed, 17 Apr 2019 10:35:02 +0200, R.Wieser wrote:
> 
> I just did a google for "VBScript IShellLinkDataList".  Don't you just hate 
> it when even the first page has results which do not even contain the words 
> you're looking for.  I know I do. :-(

That would be Google. I'm sure of it. Only Google does that. Try using
verbatim search.

> ??? /what/ powershell ?    This is Sparta^wXP ! :-)

For XP, PowerShell has to be downloaded separately. And only for the older
version. IIRC, newer versions of PowerShell won't run on XP.

> Though while doing the above search I came across one which mentioned that 
> setting a "run as administrator" just needed the flipping of one bit in the 
> ..lnk file, which made me realize I could most likely do the same.
> 
> Alas, although I think I found the byte it looks like that its not at a 
> fixed location (even copying the origional .lnk file to a new location and 
> changing the setting caused it to change its size), meaning that the file 
> needs to be parsed.   Assuming I can access the file in a binary fashion 
> that is.
> 
> I'll probably take a look at it, just not now. :-)
> 
> Regards,
> Rudy Wieser

You can do that too, but you'll have to at least parse the layout of the
shortcut file data structure, in order to get to the location of the extra
data part. You can use VBScript's ASCII mode (text) stream to do binary file
reading/editing.

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#12082

JJ,

> For XP, PowerShell has to be downloaded separately.

That would be a problem ....

You see, I'm still busy with putting a one-click basic configuration 
together - to be used directly after XP has been installed from CD, meaning 
with no extras available.

And I'm not even sure if I want to /install/ PowerShell for this one-off 
action ...

> You can use VBScript's ASCII mode (text) stream to
> do binary file reading/editing.

Are you sure ?    Some time ago I tried to use the ReadAll method (trying to 
read a double-byte character textfile so I could convert it into ASCII), and 
got rather puzzeled by the returned contents.    It turned out that although 
the method returned a string the size of the file, it only filled it 
partially (IIRC it stopped on encountering a certain character) which left 
the remainder with whatever was in memory at that time (it didn't even zero 
the buffer out!).

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

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#12083

"R.Wieser" <address@not.available> wrote

| And I'm not even sure if I want to /install/ PowerShell for this one-off
| action ...
|

   Microsoft have pushed it for years now. So far I have
yet to find something I need it for. You'd like it. It's all
command line applets, like DOS, meant to lure Linux
server managers to Windows. Though I think th fan base
is mostly IT people -- corporate admins who can pass
around specialized scripts.

| > You can use VBScript's ASCII mode (text) stream to
| > do binary file reading/editing.
|
| Are you sure ?    Some time ago I tried to use the ReadAll method (trying 
to
| read a double-byte character textfile so I could convert it into ASCII), 
and
| got rather puzzeled by the returned contents.    It turned out that 
although
| the method returned a string the size of the file, it only filled it
| partially (IIRC it stopped on encountering a certain character) which left
| the remainder with whatever was in memory at that time (it didn't even 
zero
| the buffer out!).
|
  It stops at nulls. Here's the solution:

https://www.jsware.net/jsware/scrfiles.php5#bints

  Things to know: ReadAll stops at the first null, assuming
it's an end-of-file marker. Textstream is intended to only
be used for text. The WSH planners assumed scripters
wouldn't need or know about binary. So the results are pre-
digested. An ANSI string is interpreted according to the
local codepage. (I dont' know why they call it ASCII. It's
ANSI.)

  The class above provides workarounds. It will work on
any computer with a non-Asian codepage. (Japan, China
and Korea use a system that doesn't have a character-to-
byte correspondence.) The class can read unicode and leave
in the nulls, as asterisks, or not. It can also handle binary
data. For English, every second byte is a null and every first
byte is the ASCII character, up to 127, so in English the
unicode format is superfluous.

  There's also the other option. Is it ADODB.Stream? I'm
not sure. I've rarely used it so I'm not really familiar with
the methods or the Windows version support. 

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#12084

One follow-up note on that last post:

  If you don't need PowerShell it's just as well, for security's
sake. PS has become a favorite exploit. 

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#12085

Mayayana,

>   Microsoft have pushed it for years now.

Which is actually a signal for me to stay away from it.  For some strange
reason (WGA, W10 pushing, forced telemetry, forced updates, etc) I do not
trust them too much anymore :-)

>  It stops at nulls.

Yep, that was it.  Funny though, as "read" doesn't have a problem with it.
But that was not even the biggest thing with it.  What was was that it
returned /much/ more data than that it actually read /and/ that it didn't
even bother to zero-out the remainder (before, or afterwards).  If it would
have been written by a student he would have flunked the assignment.

> Here's the solution:

Yep. He also uses the "how big is the file ? Do a 'read' with that size"
instead (just took a quick peek).

> The WSH planners assumed scripters wouldn't need or
> know about binary.

Most likely, yes.  It seems to be aimed at text-based stuff only.

On the other hand, its makes it rather easy to pull another component into
the script, which than can do whatever you want.   I think I've got a bit of
a love-hate relationship with it ...

>  If you don't need PowerShell it's just as well, for security's
> sake. PS has become a favorite exploit.

That might have lingered in the back of my mind too.

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

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#12086

On Thu, 18 Apr 2019 08:56:30 +0200, R.Wieser wrote:
> 
> That would be a problem ....
> 
> You see, I'm still busy with putting a one-click basic configuration 
> together - to be used directly after XP has been installed from CD, meaning 
> with no extras available.
> 
> And I'm not even sure if I want to /install/ PowerShell for this one-off 
> action ...

I wouldn't use PowerShell either, unless it's absolutely needed. However in
this case, it's the only scripting application by Microsoft which can access
OLE/COM. If third party is fine, then there are AutoHotkey and AutoIt.

> Are you sure ?    Some time ago I tried to use the ReadAll method (trying to 
> read a double-byte character textfile so I could convert it into ASCII), and 
> got rather puzzeled by the returned contents.    It turned out that although 
> the method returned a string the size of the file, it only filled it 
> partially (IIRC it stopped on encountering a certain character) which left 
> the remainder with whatever was in memory at that time (it didn't even zero 
> the buffer out!).

You'll have to use Read(), Skip(), or Write(), instead of XXXLine() and
XXXAll(). i.e. specify the exact number of bytes you want to
read/skip/write.

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#12087

JJ,

> If third party is fine, then there are AutoHotkey and AutoIt.

I did try AutoIt when the need to actually go thru configuration dialogs 
arose (as changing the registry didn't work for QuickLaunch).    Alas, when 
I tried to click a ... treeview item (IIRC) I noticed it would try to click 
the center of the item, even if that item would not be visible, and 
sometimes not even within the confines of the dialog.    In short: using a 
blind click which could hit /anything/.  :-(

That was whe I started trying to make my own "clicker" program (non-mouse. 
Direct control manipulation) ... and discovered that that is not half as 
easy as it looks. :-(  :-)

So, currently I use that "clicker" program to activate classic mode and 
enable QuickLaunch, and try to do the rest with registry changes (using 
VBScript).

In other words, I'm my own "third party" now, with a program that doesn't 
need to be installed. :-)

> You'll have to use Read(), Skip(), or Write(), instead of XXXLine()
> and XXXAll(). i.e. specify the exact number of bytes you want to
> read/skip/write.

Yup.  And hope I will not run into another of those "we do not like binary 
data" gotcha's ...

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

p.s.
Did you know that when you ask a dictionary object for the data of a 
non-existing key it will add that key (without data) ?    Funny when you see 
such a dictionary grow when all you have been doing is querying it ...

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#12088 — Dictionary oddity (was: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle))

On Fri, 19 Apr 2019 08:04:58 +0200, R.Wieser wrote:
> 
> p.s.
> Did you know that when you ask a dictionary object for the data of a 
> non-existing key it will add that key (without data) ?    Funny when you see 
> such a dictionary grow when all you have been doing is querying it ...

I rarely use dictionary, but it does work uncommonly. Even though MSDN
mentioned it clearly that it will create the key if it doesn't yet exist, it
will surely caught some experienced programmers by surprise.

I wonder if this behaviour is the same for VBA's built in dictionary object,
if such thing exist.

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#12089 — Re: Dictionary oddity (was: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle))

"JJ" <jj4public@vfemail.net> wrote

| > Did you know that when you ask a dictionary object for the data of a
| > non-existing key it will add that key (without data) ?    Funny when you 
see
| > such a dictionary grow when all you have been doing is querying it ...
|
| I rarely use dictionary, but it does work uncommonly. Even though MSDN
| mentioned it clearly that it will create the key if it doesn't yet exist, 
it
| will surely caught some experienced programmers by surprise.
|

  I've never noticed that problem. Why would anyone check
the value of a key without knowing it exists? There is an
Exists method, but even that shouldn't normally be necessary.

| I wonder if this behaviour is the same for VBA's built in dictionary 
object,
| if such thing exist.

  The VB Dictionary is coming from scrrun.dll. I love Dictionaries.
The author of the O'Reilly VB book pointed out that they're much
faster than Collections, which I rarely use. But I stick to VBS for
Dictionary use because the scrrun dependency in VB can be a
problem and it's not designed for native code efficiency. Really,
saying that VB has FileSystemObject and Dictionary is just a
sleight of hand. VB doesn't have those. It's just able to use
scrrun and a lot of people decided to pretend VB and VBS are
the same thing.

  When I want something similar in VB I write classes that store
arrays. But in VBS I find Dictionaries a great way to store loads
of complexly related data. 

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#12091 — Re: Dictionary oddity (was: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle))

Mayayana,

> Why would anyone check the value of a key without
> knowing it exists?

Because its a two-in-one step: if the result is not-empty I use it, if not I 
know I need to do something in relation with the key, store the result and 
use it.  In short, a cache.

But thats something else thats rather odd: The dictionary doesn't throw an 
error when the key doesn't exist. Instead it returns a null.   I know that 
it does away with having to use "exists" beforehand, but whats the logic in 
that ?

In short, what where the people thinking when they purposely wrote the 
method that way ?

> There is an Exists method, but even that shouldn't normally
> be necessary.

:-) How than do you know whats (already) in there ?    Normally I do not 
exactly know what the file contains my code is trawling thru, and certainly 
will not gamble on those contents being perfect.

>  When I want something similar in VB I write classes that
> store arrays.

Static arrays are very costly when you want to add a record.   Mind you, 
I've used VBScript on a 256 MByte (yes, Mega) Win98 machine.    It payed off 
to be a bit carefull with what you did memore wise.

Regards,
Rudy Wieser 

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#12092 — Re: Dictionary oddity

On Sat, 20 Apr 2019 12:22:10 -0400, Mayayana wrote:
> 
>   The VB Dictionary is coming from scrrun.dll.

That's the same as VBS, then. :(

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#12090 — Re: Dictionary oddity (was: CreateShortcut on cmd.exe - how to set fullscreen mode ? (not WindowStyle))

JJ,

> I rarely use dictionary, but it does work uncommonly.

I'll say!   Querying something /never/ should have side effects like this. 
I can't even think of a good reason to have it behave that way.    And mind 
you: the method has specifically written to do it that way (I partially 
disassembled the dictionary object), its not some side effect of something 
deep-down below.

> Even though MSDN mentioned it clearly that it will create
> the key if it doesn't yet exist

I just checked and indeed saw it mentioned quite clearly.  Can't remember if 
I also did when I first found that quirk (on my W98se machine).

> it will surely caught some experienced programmers by surprise.

:-) It did.  (not that I'm /that/ experienced mind you - just a long track 
record)

And by the way: due to that "feature" the "exists" method is either a 
mockery, or must be used every time you want to do a query - or suffer the 
dictionary to grow.

Regards.
Rudy Wieser

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#12093 — Re: Dictionary oddity

On Sat, 20 Apr 2019 19:34:19 +0200, R.Wieser wrote:
> 
> :-) It did.  (not that I'm /that/ experienced mind you - just a long track 
> record)

Well, I think any non-beginner programmers would know that a query is a
read-only operation. When the object doesn't exist, the operation shouldn't
write anything to the object being queried. I mean... what object? Right? It
just doesn't make sense.

The Dictionary object's description in MSDN states that "A Dictionary object
is the equivalent of a PERL associative array". So, anyone who's familiar
with PERL can confirm? i.e. Does querying a non existing associative array
element causes the element to be created? I do have PERL reserved in my
system, so I might test this myself. But I'm pretty positive that PERL
doesn't have such oddity.

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