Vista - determine version of .exe thru batch file

I have been researching a way to check the version of a file thru a batch file; i found the filever.exe utility, but then discovered it is not compatable with Vista.

Is there a way to do this in Vista? My goal is to create a batch file that compares the version of an .exe that is locally installed to the "current" version on a server, replace the local version if it doesn't match, and then open the local version.

in searching i found a command in one of the forums here (can't find that post now to save my life!) that i believe was intended to check the version of a dll, but in the example that was given they used an .exe - so i was hoping to get it to work for me, but i'm getting errors.

Here's what i'm trying:

$env:"C:\Program Files\ProgramFolder\Program.exe".VersionInfo | fl *

and here's what i'm getting:

The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

Help with this method or the correct method would be GREATLY appreciated!

thanks in advance!

Rebekah
Ft. Rucker

"woodrg" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:aaa81b15813aad49e67f5ea66c62ddbb@xxxxxx-gateway.com...


The code you've got there looks like Powershell code, rather than cmd.exe
code, so it won't work as is in a cmd.exe shell.

If you've installed Powershell (a free download) then you can do something
like

(Get-Command "$env:ProgramFiles\Windows
Sidebar\sidebar.exe").FileVersionInfo.FileVersion

which looks similar to the code you posted. Example output .......

PS (1) > (Get-Command "$env:ProgramFiles\Windows
Sidebar\sidebar.exe").FileVersionInfo.Fil
eVersion
6.0.6000.16615 (vista_gdr.071215-2230)
PS (2) >


Alternatively if you're keen on batch files, then filever.exe seems to work
ok here with Vista and cmd.exe. I don't know what particular issues you're
having ......

"D:\Program Files\Support Tools\filever.exe" /d "C:\Program Files\Windows
Sidebar\sidebar.exe"

--a-- W32i APP ENU 6.0.6000.16615 shp sidebar.exe


--
Jon

hmm, i tried to download it and received errors indicating it was not compatible and then found several posts indicating that it was not. i guess i'll regroup and try again.

Thanks for the insight.