Help with the creation of a (to me) complicated bat file

Hi people! I have a pretty complicated (to me) task to accomplish.

I have a notebook with Windows 10 64 bit turned into a media-retrogaming living room PC.

I use both emulators, old pc games and Steam games. I use two Playstation 3 controllers, connected with a bluetooth dongle and managed by the mighty ScpToolkit in order to emulate an Xbox360 controller. Why? Because I'm using both emulators and Steam games. Steam games only work with an Xbox360 controller and I didn't want to buy a new pair.

Ok, let's move on. ScpToolkit needs a service to run properly but I don't want it to start everytime I start the pc, simply because I only need it when I play some games. And it makes the bluetooth dongle bling like a Christmas tree.

So, I have created a bat file to instantly launch the Ds3Service by writing: sc start "Ds3Service". It works like a charm, but I have to run it as an administrator and click the UAC prompt. First world problems.

Now here comes the real deal. I would like to create a bat file that launches firtst "Ds3Service_Start.cmd" as administrator (or the process itself withouth having to create a reserved cmd), with no UAC prompt, NO cmd window visible and with the capability of turning the cmd off after it ran. Than after the process is running and the cmd closed, the bat file should start Emulationstation.exe.

I have already done some homework and I followed this guide to created an eleveted program shortcut. What I cannot do, even after reading the comment below, is to make the whole thing completely silent and to let it close itself.

Here's what I get after running the shortcut created following the guide:

C:\Windows\system32>sc start "Ds3Service"

NOME_SERVIZIO: Ds3Service
TIPO : 10 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS
STATO : 2 START_PENDING
(STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, ACCEPTS_SHUTDOWN)
CODICE_USCITA_WIN32 : 0 (0x0)
CODICE_USCITA_SERVIZIO : 0 (0x0)
PUNTO_CONTROLLO : 0x0
INDICAZIONE_ATTESA : 0x0
PID : 4028
FLAG :

C:\Windows\system32>

and the cmd window stays there. I have tried to create a bat file with this inside:

@echo off
Start /MIN "" C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe /run /tn "Ds3Service_Start"
exit

With no luck. It correctly and instantly starts the process with no UAC prompt, but that window doesn't go away.

Eternal glory to the super kind man who will be able to help me :)

1) How are launching the batch file? Are you simply double-clicking the icon to execute it? If so, it should close after it is done and terminates. If you are simply running it from an open command prompt, than the command prompt would be expected to stay open since it was not opened by that batch file. If that's not what you are seeing, I would need to see the batch file.

2) To avoid having to right=click and selecting "Run as administrator, you could add some code to the start of your batch file that will cause it to self-elevate. Here is a sample:

Code:

REM This sample shows how to create a self-elevating batch file.

@echo off

REM Change to directory where the batch file is located.
cd /d %~dp0

REM Check to see if this batch file is being run as Administrator

openfiles > NUL 2>&1 
if NOT %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 goto NotAdmin 
goto IsAdmin

   :NotAdmin

REM The batch file was not run as admin. Launch a new copy of the batch file as admin and close the current instance.

powershell.exe start-process '%~f0' -verb runas
exit

   :IsAdmin

REM End Routine to check if being run as Admin
REM Place any additional commands here. When you reach this point
REM the batch file will be running elevated.
REM End program
   :END

Note that you may still get a UAC prompt depending upon what your UAC settings are. That, of course, is by design.

hsehestedt said:

1) How are launching the batch file? Are you simply double-clicking the icon to execute it? If so, it should close after it is done and terminates. If you are simply running it from an open command prompt, than the command prompt would be expected to stay open since it was not opened by that batch file. If that's not what you are seeing, I would need to see the batch file.

2) To avoid having to right=click and selecting "Run as administrator, you could add some code to the start of your batch file that will cause it to self-elevate. Here is a sample:

Code:

REM This sample shows how to create a self-elevating batch file.

@echo off

REM Change to directory where the batch file is located.
cd /d %~dp0

REM Check to see if this batch file is being run as Administrator

openfiles > NUL 2>&1 
if NOT %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 goto NotAdmin 
goto IsAdmin

   :NotAdmin

REM The batch file was not run as admin. Launch a new copy of the batch file as admin and close the current instance.

powershell.exe start-process '%~f0' -verb runas
exit

   :IsAdmin

REM End Routine to check if being run as Admin
REM Place any additional commands here. When you reach this point
REM the batch file will be running elevated.
REM End program
   :END

Note that you may still get a UAC prompt depending upon what your UAC settings are. That, of course, is by design.

Hey! Thank you for the super detailed answer! :)

Glad to be able to help!