Lets start with looking at SHELL.

SHELL is a command that you can use directly in the C/AL code. It returns a “returncode” and takes name and “parameters” as parameter.

ReturnCode := SHELL(‘cmd.exe’,'/c’,'c:\mybatch.cmd’);

Where /c means execute my command and the close window (terminate).
You can also use /k which will leave the execution window open.

Be aware of, if you are using SHELL in Navision 4 (or higher) you will get a security message from Navision.

You are about to run the following executable for the first time
Executable: cmd.exe
Parameter: /c mybatch.cmd

Please be aware that you may be running an executable that could potentially
harm your computer

Do you trust this executable and its parameter?

This message is ok in the situations where a user manually can accept the execution – but if you are running batchs jobs from a scheduler, this is not the ideal situation. Therefor in these cases I would recommend the use of WshShell – or you could always use WshShell, in that way you would never be shown the security warning

So how do we use WshShell? WshShell is an automation, which I have earlier mentioned in the articles about SendKeys. You can execute a batch job by using the command Run.

IF ISCLEAR(WshShell) THEN
….CREATE(WshShell);

WshMode := 1;
WaitForEndOfCommand := TRUE;

ReturnCode := WshShell.Run(‘cmd.exe /c c:\mybatch.cmd’,
…………………………………….WshMode,
…………………………………….WaitForEndOfCommand);

WshShell is defined as ‘Windows Script Host Object Model’.WshShell
WshMode is an integer and is used to handle the Window Style (minimized, maximize etc.). Valid values can be found here.

WshShell requires a few more lines of codes than SHELL – but I think its worth the effort.

This is an example on starting the Notepad and afterwards, as the first thing to do writing the word Hallo:

set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”)
WshShell.Run “notepad”

WScript.Sleep 100

WshShell.AppActivate “Notesblok”
WshShell.SendKeys “Hallo”

Set WshShell = nothing

Lets take a closer look on what the script actual do. The first step is to initiate the object:

set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”)

when the object is initiate, the Notepad application is being startet:

WshShell.Run “notepad”

To be sure that notepad is up and running, there has to be a kind of wait state before continuing. This is done be telling the script to Sleep x milliseconds:

WScript.Sleep 100

Now the Notepad application has to be activated:

WshShell.AppActivate “Notesblok”

Once Notepad has been activated, it is ready to receive keys. Which now can be send with the sendkeys command:

WshShell.SendKeys “Hallo”

Finally you have to clean up after you – which means, to stop / close the WshShell you have to set it to nothing.

Set WshShell = nothing

Thats it – now you have written the Visual Basic Script – and all you have to do is save it as a vbs file, or incorporate it into a web page using th vbscript tags.

SendKeys is a part of Windows Script Host.

Currently I am using this functionality to take over a second Navision Client, to start an export of objects without any user interventions.

In Navision SendKeys are found in the automation Windows Script Host Object Model class WshShell.

The first thing to do is to create the automation:

IF ISCLEAR(WshShell) THEN
…..CREATE(WshShell);

Activate the application which has to behandled:

WshShell.AppActivate(AppName);

And then send the keys:

WaitForKeys := TRUE;

WshShell.SendKeys(‘{ESC 2}’,WaitForKeys);
WshShell.SendKeys(‘{DOWN}’,WaitForKeys);
WshShell.SendKeys(‘{LEFT}’,WaitForKeys);
WshShell.SendKeys(‘Ver{ENTER}’,WaitForKeys);

When you are finished sending keys then stop the automation by clearing it:

CLEAR(WshShell);

Pretty simple – right