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This is my code:

set-location [PATH]
$A = Start-Process -FilePath .\refresh.bat -Wait

set-location C:\

When executed in powershell, the system opens a Command prompt window and executes the bat file without issue. The problem is that the window closes and I cannot see if there was an error if it succeeds.

I want to keep the CMD window open.

I also tried at the end of the bat file:

:END
cmd /k

but no luck.

Victor Gonzalez
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  • `Pause` will do the trick. Most commands of cmd are also supported on powershell. So u dont need to invoke a cmd from powershell. You can directly run on powershell or even translate it to powershell. That way, you can perform error handling and such – Sid May 29 '20 at 20:09

2 Answers2

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First, unless you specifically need to run the batch file in a new window, do not use Start-Process - use direct invocation instead, which is implicitly synchronous and allows you to capture or redirect output:

# Invoke the batch file synchronously (wait for it to exit)
# and capture its (standard) output in variable $A
# To print the batch file's output to the console instead, just use:
#    .\refresh.bat
$A = .\refresh.bat

See this answer for more information.

Also note Start-Process never allows you to capture the invoked program's output directly (you can only redirect it to files with -RedirectStandardOutput and -RedirectStandardOutput); your specific command captures nothing[1] in $A; adding -PassThru does return something, but not the program's output, but a process-information object (System.Diagnostics.Process).

If you do need to run the batch file in a new window and want to keep that window open:

Start-Process -Wait -FilePath cmd -ArgumentList '/k .\refresh.bat'

Relying on positional parameter binding, the above can be simplified to:
Start-Process -Wait cmd '/k .\refresh.bat'

[1] Strictly speaking, $A is assigned the [System.Management.Automation.Internal.AutomationNull]::Value singleton, which in most contexts behaves like $null.

mklement0
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Thank you mklement0 with your post gave me the solution I wanted. This is how I solved it.

set-location [PATH]
$A = Start-Process -FilePath .\refresh.bat -Wait -NoNewWindow
set-location C:\

-NoNewWindow allowed me to run my batch in the same powershell window getting the feedback of the bat file. That way I have errors if any and success status if no errors.

Thanks!

Victor Gonzalez
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    Glad to hear my answer was helpful - note that a simpler alternative is to use direct invocation without capturing the output: `.\refresh.bat` by itself is enough. – mklement0 May 30 '20 at 21:56