"System cannot find the file specified" when trying to run PowerShell script

Question

I am working on a menu that calls PowerShell scripts with wscript.shell and ActiveX. I am passing three variables to wshshell.Run:

scriptID, which is the name of a ps1 file,
vmName, which is the name of the virtual machine the script will act on, and
checkstate, which is the state of the checkbox associated with the menu item.

Here is my current non-working code:

WshShell = new ActiveXObject("Wscript.Shell");
WshShell.Run("powershell.exe  -file " & scriptID & " " & vmName & " " & checkstate, 7, true);

This always produces an error stating "The system cannot find the file specified."

I have tried following the syntax mentioned here and here with no luck. Both seemed promising but produce the same error I have above.

I tested taking the variables out and just running:

WshShell.Run("powershell.exe -file test.ps1", 7, true)

which works, but

WshShell.Run("powershell.exe -file " & "test.ps1", 7, true)

fails.

I think you already have the answer '&' vs. '+'. So just a note: when calling PowerShell scripts always try to use a full path of the script. -file "c:\tmp\test.ps1" can save a lot of problems with intermittent issues. — Jan Chrbolka
– Jan Chrbolka, Commented Jan 13, 2015 at 23:01

Ansgar Wiechers · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-13 22:06:48Z

0

Your code doesn't work, because the string concatenation operator in JavaScript is +, not &.

Change this:

WshShell.Run("powershell.exe -file " & scriptID & " " & vmName & " " & checkstate, 7, true);

into this:

WshShell.Run("powershell.exe -file " + scriptID + " " + vmName + " " + checkstate, 7, true);

answered Jan 13, 2015 at 22:06

Ansgar Wiechers

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afterbyrner Over a year ago

That did it. After doing a bunch of testing in VB I never even thought they would be the problem. Thanks!

Ansgar Wiechers · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-13 22:01:17Z

0

Try setting the Wshell.WorkingDirectory to the directory where your test.ps1 is located.

eg:

wsh = new ActiveXObject("Wscript.Shell");
wsh.workingDirectory = "C:\my\dir\to\psscript";
wsh.run("powershell.exe -file test.ps1", 7, true);

Check the MSDN.

edited Jan 13, 2015 at 22:01

Ansgar Wiechers

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answered Jan 13, 2015 at 21:50

8t'

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1 Comment

Kidquick Over a year ago

The WorkingDirectory property only applies to VBscript. For Javascript, use the CurrentDirectory property.

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