Vista - Capture window caption of "this" program in XO Pro?

I'm an absolute novice at scripting. I'd like to see if a simple
script could capture the caption I see in the top-most colored border
of the window of a certain program. For instance, my Outlook caption
is "Inbox - Microsoft Outlook", and my IE window has
"microsoft.public.scripting.vbscript | Google Groups - Windows
Internet Explorer".

If I feed the script the program name, can this be accomplished? My
ultimate goal is to parse this string for a coule of elements to build
some strings.

Any pointers are greatly appreciated.
Ed

"Ed from AZ" <prof_ofwhat@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:5d86d454-c1e0-4247-8f89-485ad5763c33@xxxxxxHere is something to get you started:

Set cTasks = CreateObject("Word.Application").Tasks
For Each oTask In cTasks
If InStr(1, oTask, "Outlook", 1) then WScript.echo oTask.name
Next

The script will show you the name of each process that is currently running
and that has the word "Outlook" it its name. You should invoke the script
with cscript.exe.

Hi, Pegasus. Thanks for responding.

I copied your code and saved it into a script file named
FindTasks.vbs.

I invoked it from Start >> Run using
cscript // C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName\Desktop\New Folder
\FindTasks.vbs

I think it worked, because I saw a Command Prompt window flash up on
the screen very briefly. I do have Outlook open at the time and the
window is open. But nothing stayed on the screen long enough to see
what it was! How do you keep the Echo open long enough to read it?
(And why invoke a new Word process?)

Ed


On Feb 11, 4:18*pm, "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I....@xxxxxx> wrote:

If you launch console commands from the Start/Run box then you're punishing
yourself because you'll see the messages flashing by, nothing else. Much
better to do things properly by using a Command Prompt:
1. Click Start / Run
2. Type the letters cmd
3. Click the OK button.
4. Type this command:
cscript //nologo "%UserProfile%\Desktop\New Folder\FindTasks.vbs"
5. Press the Enter button on your keyboard.


"Ed from AZ" <prof_ofwhat@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4acf32c0-a546-4495-a2a2-baecfef0b338@xxxxxx
Hi, Pegasus. Thanks for responding.

I copied your code and saved it into a script file named
FindTasks.vbs.

I invoked it from Start >> Run using
cscript // C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName\Desktop\New Folder
\FindTasks.vbs

I think it worked, because I saw a Command Prompt window flash up on
the screen very briefly. I do have Outlook open at the time and the
window is open. But nothing stayed on the screen long enough to see
what it was! How do you keep the Echo open long enough to read it?
(And why invoke a new Word process?)

Ed


On Feb 11, 4:18 pm, "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I....@xxxxxx> wrote:

I agree that it is much better to do things properly by using a command
prompt. I disagree on the method of navigating to the folder containing the
script to be executed.

My lazy old fingers don't want to type that long 'cscript //nologo
"%UserProfile%\...\FindTasks.vbs" '; they usually screw it up once or twice.
It is much easier to just right click in the white space of the folder that
FindTasks.vbs resides in, and choose CMD Prompt, which opens a cmd prompt
navigated to the proper folder. Then I just type
cscript //nologo "FindTasks.vbs".
The "s are only needed if the file name contains spaces.

The tool to add the "CMD Prompt" to the context menu of the white space of a
folder window is available at:
http://www.roggel.com/NGNeer/BackgroundCMD/index.shtml
I have used in on my WXP SP2 system for about two months with no apparent
problems.

Note that this is completely different from the 'command prompt here'
context menu item commonly found elsewhere.

-Paul Randall


"Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e3RL41SjJHA.4860@xxxxxx

What you say is, of course, entirely correct. On the other hand I assumed
that the OP had a reasonable understanding of folders, working directories
and paths, considering that he now wishes to start writing scripts. If this
is not the case then he should either acquire some basic console skills or
limit himself to GUI tools and applications.


"Paul Randall" <paulr90@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Og1XpUTjJHA.4880@xxxxxx

Sorry if I have opened a can of worms here. I have a reasonable
understanding of Word and Excel VBA, in which I have invoked the FSO a
few times. Other than that, my understanding of folders, files and
directories is generally limited to the Windows Explorer interface! 8>
{

We are faced with a situation where we need to get some users to copy
files belonging to a certain program from one folder into another as a
backup. To get them to navigate to one folder, find the file and
copy, open the other folder and copy, is "too much" and will not be
done. I am trying to see if my limited knowledge and much Google
searching can cobble together something to automate this to the point
where they only need to double-click a script file to launch it and
accomplish the action.

I guess I do need to explore this much further. My original request
was based on the assumption that the caption of the program window
always carried the file path inclusing the user name. This would make
building the strings for a file copy action much simpler.
Unfortunately, it now looks like I'm going to have to ask for user
input (akin to a VBA InputBox), and that may also be regarded as "too
much".

Thanks all for chiming in. There is so much I do not know and I would
love to learn more. Unfortunately, since it's not my actual job
description, there's not a lot of time allotted to work through and
learn it all. So I ask questions that have answers I don't understand
because there's huge gaps in my knowledge. Thank you all for being so
very patient and willing to give.

Ed


On Feb 12, 10:29*am, "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I....@xxxxxx> wrote:

Since the caption of a process window does NOT show the path of the
executable behind it, you appear to have started this thread by asking the
wrong question. Perhaps the right question is: "How can I find out the path
+ name of an executable that launched a certain program?". If so then this
script might be a first step in the right direction. Again it is a console
script that must be executed from a Command Prompt, using cscript.exe. Note
the double/single quotes in the first line of code.

sProgram = "'Outlook.exe'"
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\.\root\CIMV2")
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery( _
"SELECT * FROM Win32_Process where Name = " & sProgram,,48)
For Each objItem In colItems
WScript.Echo "Command line=" & objItem.CommandLine
Next

I suggest you test the code, then review your requirements and post again.


"Ed from AZ" <prof_ofwhat@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ff3ae745-0586-44a8-bf54-abd13412cd8d@xxxxxx
Sorry if I have opened a can of worms here. I have a reasonable
understanding of Word and Excel VBA, in which I have invoked the FSO a
few times. Other than that, my understanding of folders, files and
directories is generally limited to the Windows Explorer interface! 8>
{

We are faced with a situation where we need to get some users to copy
files belonging to a certain program from one folder into another as a
backup. To get them to navigate to one folder, find the file and
copy, open the other folder and copy, is "too much" and will not be
done. I am trying to see if my limited knowledge and much Google
searching can cobble together something to automate this to the point
where they only need to double-click a script file to launch it and
accomplish the action.

I guess I do need to explore this much further. My original request
was based on the assumption that the caption of the program window
always carried the file path inclusing the user name. This would make
building the strings for a file copy action much simpler.
Unfortunately, it now looks like I'm going to have to ask for user
input (akin to a VBA InputBox), and that may also be regarded as "too
much".

Thanks all for chiming in. There is so much I do not know and I would
love to learn more. Unfortunately, since it's not my actual job
description, there's not a lot of time allotted to work through and
learn it all. So I ask questions that have answers I don't understand
because there's huge gaps in my knowledge. Thank you all for being so
very patient and willing to give.

Ed

On Feb 12, 1:37*pm, Ed from AZ <prof_ofw...@xxxxxx> wrote:So, you want to know what the source path is for a running
application? Why didn't you ask that in the first place? If you are
running XP or later, this should get you what you want ...

' Get path of running processes using WMI

sComputer = "." ' Local computer
with GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & sComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set cItems = .ExecQuery("Select * From Win32_Process")
end with

sMatchName = "outlook.exe", for example

For Each oItem in cItems
if sMatchName = Lcase(oItem.Name) then
sPath = Split(Replace(oItem.Commandline, Chr(34), ""), _
sMatchName, -1, 1)(0)
s = sCmdLines & oItem.Commandline & ", " & sPath _
& vbNewline
end if
Next

wsh.echo s

Tom Lavedas
***********
http://there.is.no.more/tglbatch/

"Paul Randall" <paulr90@xxxxxx> wrote:
Why not use drag&drop instead?
Start->Run, type "%COMSPEC% /K cscript.exe " and then drag the script onto
the dialog.
Or type "cscript.exe " in any open command prompt and then drag the script
into the command prompt windows. Unfortunately MSFT in their finite wisdom
choose to disable drag&drop into command prompt windows in Vista.

[...]
Interesting. Unfortunately MSFT in their finite wisdom decided not to
interpret the registry keys beyond [HKCR\Directory\Background\Shell],
[HKCR\Directory\Background\Shell] and [HKCR\Folder\Background\Shell] ...
until Vista, AFAIK.

Stefan