How to find out the list of commands for a .bat or .exe file?

m18xr2 · 19 Aug 2019

hard to describe what im looking for i'll do my best to explain in details.

example, an image software I use photo.exe when installed it automatically set up shell in registry for windows context menu for files type .bmp/.jpg etc etc.

when viewed in registry/shell it show something like these:

1. "C:\photos\photos.exe" /e "%1" - for opening .bmp/jpg
2. "C:\photos\photos.exe" /p "%1" - for printing photos
3. "C:\photos\photos.exe" /v "%1" - another view mode

the commands /e /p /v etc is what I am looking for. I know the program has more of these because it has other functions within the program itself such as converting picture format, reduce in size, rotation etc.

I tried few guesses such as /c /cn for something I thought maybe conversion but no luck

is there a way to figure out what sort of command line it has available for a particular program?

dalchina · 19 Aug 2019

How do you discover the command line options?

A particular program may or may not implement command line switches.
Usually research is needed if you want the detail. For example, explorer.exe has command line switches- you have to search for the information.
Explorer.exe - Windows CMD - SS64.com

Here (at a command prompt)
explorer.exe + any of /? /h /help - the usual options to get help on command line syntax - is of no use.

Here's how vlc player behaves:
VLC command-line help - VideoLAN Wiki

(I searched for
command line switches vlc player
)

Example: at a command prompt
<path>\vlc.exe -h
results in
Dumped content to vlc-help.txt file.

Press the RETURN key to continue…

For better supported programs this info is relatively easy to find.

In some cases the information is in the Help documentation provided with the program.

Discussion and more:
executable - How can I find out if an .EXE has Command-Line Options? - Stack Overflow

bat files: you actually have access to the source code by definition. So if nothing documented or in comments, you could examine that.

m18xr2 · 19 Aug 2019

dalchina said:

How do you discover the command line options?
A particular program may or may not implement command line switches.
Usually research is needed if you want the detail. For example, explorer.exe has command line switches- you have to search for the information.
Explorer.exe - Windows CMD - SS64.com
Here (at a command prompt)explorer.exe + any of /? /h /help - the usual options to get help on command line syntax - is of no use.
Here's how vlc player behaves:
VLC command-line help - VideoLAN Wiki
(I searched for command line switches vlc player)
Example: at a command prompt
<path>\vlc.exe -h
results in
Dumped content to vlc-help.txt file.

Press the RETURN key to continue…

For better supported programs this info is relatively easy to find.

In some cases the information is in the Help documentation provided with the program.

Discussion and more:
executable - How can I find out if an .EXE has Command-Line Options? - Stack Overflow

bat files: you actually have access to the source code by definition. So if nothing documented or in comments, you could examine that.

i found the commands /e /p etc from registry in shell for context menu. i'll give /h or /? a try thanks.

/h /? /help -h -help no luck. i'll try the process explorer way and also the other suggestion on that page you linked. thanks

Berton · 19 Aug 2019

The Command Prompt can still use some of the old DOS commands, maybe even the PowerShell:
dos commands at DuckDuckGo