How do i stop the cmd window appearing on my desktop as i have made a delay startup batch file?

Question

This is my .bat. All is working fine, except i see the black window on my screen while the countdown is taking place...

@echo off
timeout /nobreak /t 8 > nul
start /d "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Skype\" Skype.lnk
exit

Ps: /min doesn't work, skype doesn't start minimized even if i right click on the skype.lnk in the program files and set there start as minimized.

Thank you in advance!

Answer 1

I haven't tested this, but I think it should work. It's a batch + JScript + batch again hybrid script. Save this with a .bat extension and let me know whether it works for you. If not, I'll do some testing.

@if (@a==@b) @end /*

:: batch portion

@echo off
tasklist /fi "IMAGENAME eq cscript.exe" | find /i "cscript.exe" >NUL || (
    start "" cscript /nologo /e:jscript "%~f0"
    exit
)
:: ping -n seconds + 1 (because first ping result is instant)
ping -n 9 localhost > nul
start /d "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Skype\" Skype.lnk
exit

:: JScript portion */
var sh = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");
sh.Run(WSH.ScriptFullName, 0);
WSH.Sleep(100);

I'll attempt to describe the workflow of the script.

1. cmd batch: User launches batch script either by double-clicking or entering batfile.bat at the cmd prompt.

2. Script checks to see whether cscript.exe is in the task list. It isn't.

3. Script re-launches itself using the JScript interpreter instead of the cmd batch interpreter. Current cmd interpretation exits.

4. JScript: The WScript.Shell object Run method re-launches the batch script with the cmd interpreter in a hidden, non-blocking process.

5. After a 100ms pause, JScript reaches the end of the file and exits. This should be the last of the visible windows.

6. invisible cmd batch: Script checks to see whether cscript.exe is in the task list. JScript is still pausing at this point, so cscript.exe does exist.

7. Go ping yourself... for 8 seconds.

8. Activate the Skype shortcut in a non-blocking process.

9. Batch script exit.