# Need help writting a Windows script file **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523 "2005-12-01T05:32:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523/1 "2005-12-01T05:32:04Z")
So, I wanted to be able to control which order programs load when windows starts up. I have a program called Startup.exe which shows which programs load on startup, and can let you choose to load, or not load them. You can also edit the parameters. I also found a script StartupDelay.vbs which lets you load programs in the order you want, and have a delay to keep too many things from loading at once. Here’s the unmodified code SecondsToDelay = “5” ProgramToRun = “iexplore” 'may need full path Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) Prog = Chr(34) & ProgramToRun & Chr(34) CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(Prog) Ok here’s the path of one of the programs I want to run “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” So how can I make ProgramToRun equal this path and parameters? I’ve tried quoting it different ways, and so far, no success. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![ishamael69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@ishamael69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ishamael69)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523/2 "2005-12-01T07:12:05Z")
Line 1: SecondsToDelay = “5” Line 2: ProgramToRun = “iexplore” 'may need full path Line 3: Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) Line 4: Prog = Chr(34) & ProgramToRun & Chr(34) Line 5: CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(Prog) The simple answer: On line 2, set ProgramToRun = “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” & Chr(34) & " M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=" & Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” A more complex answer: On line 2, set ProgramToRun = Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” & Chr(34) & " M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=" & Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” & Chr(34) Remove line 4. On line 5, change Prog to ProgramToRun Also, you can substitute: “”“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe”" M=100 T=600 A D=Y P="“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe”"" Into the complex answer on line 2 So, you’ve got either: SecondsToDelay = “5” ProgramToRun = “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” & Chr(34) & " M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=" & Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) Prog = Chr(34) & ProgramToRun & Chr(34) CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(Prog) OR SecondsToDelay = “5” ProgramToRun = Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” & Chr(34) & " M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=" & Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” & Chr(34) Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(ProgramToRun) OR SecondsToDelay = “5” ProgramToRun = “”“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe”" M=100 T=600 A D=Y P="“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe”"" Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(ProgramToRun) Your choice. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523/3 "2005-12-01T09:50:41Z")
> [@ishamael69](#): > > Line 1: SecondsToDelay = “5” > Line 2: ProgramToRun = “iexplore” 'may need full path > Line 3: Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) > Line 4: Prog = Chr(34) & ProgramToRun & Chr(34) > Line 5: CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(Prog) > > The simple answer: > On line 2, set ProgramToRun = > “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” & Chr(34) & " M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=" & Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” > > A more complex answer: > On line 2, set ProgramToRun = > Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” & Chr(34) & " M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=" & Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” & Chr(34) > Remove line 4. > On line 5, change Prog to ProgramToRun > > Also, you can substitute: > “”“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe”" M=100 T=600 A D=Y P="“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe”"" > Into the complex answer on line 2 > > So, you’ve got either: > > SecondsToDelay = “5” > ProgramToRun = “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” & Chr(34) & " M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=" & Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” > Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) > Prog = Chr(34) & ProgramToRun & Chr(34) > CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(Prog) > > OR > > SecondsToDelay = “5” > ProgramToRun = Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe” & Chr(34) & " M=100 T=600 A D=Y P=" & Chr(34) & “H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” & Chr(34) > Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) > CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(ProgramToRun) > > OR > > SecondsToDelay = “5” > ProgramToRun = “”“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpage.exe”" M=100 T=600 A D=Y P="“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe”"" > Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay \* 1000) > CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(ProgramToRun) > > Your choice. Dang, so many choices, thanks. For some reason the P=“H:\Program Files\RAMpage\RAMpageConfig.exe” was throwing me off (the extra sets of quotation marks), but I guess it’s no problem at all. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![ishamael69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@ishamael69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ishamael69)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523/4 "2005-12-02T05:33:05Z")
You are welcome. For the record, to put a quotation mark in a string, just put two double quotation marks together ("") inside the string. Otherwise, you can put Chr(34) + “String” + Chr(34) ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523/5 "2005-12-02T07:35:06Z")
> [@ishamael69](#): > > You are welcome. For the record, to put a quotation mark in a string, just put two double quotation marks together ("") inside the string. Otherwise, you can put Chr(34) + “String” + Chr(34) Thanks. If you wouldn’t mind, one last question, do you have any idea for this problem I’m encountering? I made the script file, and test ran it, but for some reason, even though the path and filename are completely correct CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”).Run(“H:\Program Files\Creative\SB Live! 24-bit\Surround Mixer\CTSysVol.exe /r”) returns the error “System can’t find the file specified”. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523/6 "2005-12-02T08:46:15Z")
I don’t have a solution, but try removing the /r switch - it’s possible it’s interpreted as being part of the filename string, thus causing a failure. I had a similar problem once, but I’m afraid I don’t recall how I solved it. ---
**Author:** ![Otanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Otanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otanx)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523/7 "2005-12-02T14:46:02Z")
Not sure if this is required in XP/2000 but I know in 95/98 sometimes it would have problems with long directory names. Might want to try the 8 character dir names instead. I haven’t done any programing for a long long time so this might no longer be a problem. (“H:\Progra~1\Creative\SB Liv~1\Surrou~1\CTSysVol.exe /r”) If 2 or more dir start with the same letters then use ~2 ~3 etc. They are sorted alphabetically for the number extention. -Otanx ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-writting-a-windows-script-file/333523/8 "2005-12-02T16:54:32Z")
Thank you Nanoda and Otanx, but those didn’t work. Oh well, I have the weekend to fiddle around and see if I can come up with someting that works.