CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptnode.js
divz
divz

Reputation: 7957

Execute an EXE file using Node.js

I don't know how to execute an EXE file in Node.js. Here is the code I am using. It is not working and doesn't print anything. Is there any possible way to execute an EXE file using the command line?

var fun = function() {
  console.log("rrrr");
  exec('CALL hai.exe', function(err, data) {

    console.log(err)
    console.log(data.toString());
  });
}
fun();

Upvotes: 58

Views: 124642

Answers (5)

Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com
Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com

Reputation: 382502

child_process.execFileSync

You can also use this version of execFile if you don't want to wait for the callback, documented at: https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v22.x/api/child_process.html#child_processexecfilesyncfile-args-options

const child_process = require('child_process')
let stdout
stdout = child_process.execFileSync('hai.exe', ['arg0', 'arg1'])
console.log(stdout.toString())
try {
  stdout = child_process.execFileSync('hai.exe', ['arg0', 'badarg'])
} catch(e) {
  console.log(e.status)
  console.log(e.stdout.toString())
  console.log(e.stderr.toString())
}

Unfortunately the interface is a bit different than execFile and slightly worse:

  • you can't get stderr, or it is harder
  • it throws in case of exit status error rather than just returning you the exit status. But you can inspect exit status, stdout and stderr in that case from the exception.

But if those don't matter to you, it can be convenient. Otherwise you can also use the slightly more general child_process.spawnSync.

Upvotes: 0

Obot Ernest
Obot Ernest

Reputation: 498

If you are using Node.js or any front-end framework that supports Node.js (React or Vue.js)

const { execFile } = require('child_process');

const child = execFile('chrome.exe', [], (error, stdout, stderr) => {
  if (error) {
    throw error;
  }
  console.log(stdout);
});

If the .exe file is located somewhere in the machine, replace chrome.exe with the path to the application you want to execute e.g "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"

const child = execFile('C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe', [], (error, stdout, stderr) => {
  if (error) {
    throw error;
  }
  console.log(stdout);
});

Upvotes: 6

Chirag Jain
Chirag Jain

Reputation: 2418

You can try the execFile function of the child process modules in Node.js.

Reference: child_process.execFile(file[, args][, options][, callback])

Your code should look something like:

var exec = require('child_process').execFile;

var fun =function(){
   console.log("fun() start");
   exec('HelloJithin.exe', function(err, data) {
        console.log(err)
        console.log(data.toString());
    });
}
fun();

Upvotes: 75

var3n1k
var3n1k

Reputation: 11

Did you ever think about using Batch file in this process? I mean start a .bat file using Node.js which will start an .exe file at the same time?

Just using answers in the top, I got this:

  1. Creating a .bat file in exe file's directory

  2. Type in bat file START <full file name like E:\\Your folder\\Your file.exe>

  3. Type in your .js file: const shell = require('shelljs') shell.exec('E:\\Your folder\\Your bat file.bat')

Upvotes: 0

Basilin Joe
Basilin Joe

Reputation: 702

If the exe that you want to execute is in some other directory, and your exe has some dependencies to the folder it resides then, try setting the cwd parameter in options

var exec = require('child_process').execFile;
/**
 * Function to execute exe
 * @param {string} fileName The name of the executable file to run.
 * @param {string[]} params List of string arguments.
 * @param {string} path Current working directory of the child process.
 */
function execute(fileName, params, path) {
    let promise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        exec(fileName, params, { cwd: path }, (err, data) => {
            if (err) reject(err);
            else resolve(data);
        });

    });
    return promise;
}

Docs

Upvotes: 18

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