How can I run a program or batch file on the client side?

How can I run a batch file on the client side? An exe file? Just to open pre-installed program in client side?

[Edit]

Regarding ActiveX, I tried

    var activeXObj = new ActiveXObject("Shell.Application");
    activeXObj.ShellExecute("C:\\WINDOWS\\NOTEPAD.EXE", "", "", "open", "1");

but this doesn't work. Any suggestions?

Upvotes: 6

Answers (8)

frank

Reputation: 186

It's not allowed directly, for security reason. Besides all other answers, there is another idea.

You can build a localhost rest service in your pre-installed program and use javascript to call it with command or data, well assuming that you write the the pre-installed program and the service is supposed to be running when you call. This solution works in some scenarios.

Upvotes: 0

DreamSonic

Reputation: 1472

You mean launch an external program thru a browser window using JavaScript? No way you can do that! That's a goddamn security black hole!

Upvotes: 12

sri

Reputation: 101

<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">

    function RunEXE(prog) {
        var oShell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");
        oShell.Run('"' + prog + '"', 1);
    }     
</script>

Upvotes: 10

Sake

Reputation: 4123

If you really have control on the client, then you may want to install some remote daemon service on the client side, like SSH.

PS. Invoke it through your "server-code", however.

Updated:

Don't be discouraged. You can absolutely do that in safe manner.

First you need a daemon service on the client that will handle the task of invoking your application. Personally, I'd rather build simple rpc-server as windows-service with C++ or Delphi; but many other kinds of server could also do the job (SSH, Apache, Telnet)
Then make a web pages that allow the user to "register" their services with proper authentication to invoke that service (password, security key)
When you want to invoke your application from web-page on the client that's already registered, make ajax call (xmlhttprequest) to your server.
The server should validate the requesting IP address with registered information.
Then make a remote command invokation to the client with the registered information.

There can be some networking situation that this scheme might not work. However, if you really have control on the execution environment then there always be some workarounds.

Upvotes: 6

Michael Kohne

Reputation: 12044

Basically, you can't. If you need to launch something on the client side, you'll need another mechanism altogether, presumably one with some security built in. A previous poster mentioned psexec (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897553.aspx), which will obviously only work if you have appropriate permissions on the target system, and which is completely outside the browser.

Basically, what you are asking for is a BIG, BIG, problem if you were able to do it easily.

You might look into ActiveX, but I don't know what limits there are on an ActiveX object these days (I know there ARE limits, but perhaps you can work within them).

Upvotes: 0

David Webb

Reputation: 193696

If the problem is the batch file is being displayed in the browser you need to set Content-Type and Content-Disposition in the HTTP header so the user is prompted to Save (or Run) the file rather than have the browser display it.

You won't be able to run the file without an OK from the user but this shouldn't be a problem.

Have a look at this question for a little more detail.

Upvotes: 3