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--- mysigchk_bat [2012-09-21 19:52]
andreas [Discussion] cosmetics
+++ mysigchk_bat [2012-09-25 00:18]
andreas updated to new version, now using a vbs script instead of sigcheck.exe
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+====== mysigchk.bat ======
+A Windows Batch file to check the version of executables (program files, DLL files, ...) by processing lists of files and reference version numbers.
+===== Synopsis =====
+<code dos>
+mysigchk.bat [/v] LISTFILE [LISTFILE ...]
+</code>
+===== Description =====
+''mysigchk.bat'' reads file names including paths and version numbers from LISTFILE. It then retrieves the version of the files and reports files with non-matching numbers. Non-existing files are ignored unless ''mysigchk.bat'' is started with ''/v''.
+We use ''mysigchk.bat'' to scan computers for old outdated applications or missing installations. There's a number of applications out there for this task but generally they are rather bloated, come with a number of dependencies and are hard to automate. ''mysigchk.bat'' follows the [[wp>KISS principle]]. However, it checks only files that we want it to check, and we have to update the version numbers manually. Eventually, the later can be an advantage in cases where one deliberately wants to keep an older version of a program.
+LISTFILE is ''|'' (pipe) delimited. The syntax of LISTFILE is
+  [Path\]Filename|Version|Comment
+file per line. Empty lines and lines starting with ''#'' are ignored.
+If ''Path'' starts with ''~'', ''~'' will be substituted with a fixed list of directories commonly used for program files. This list is hard coded (but can be easily spotted in the script). The list currently is: ''C:\Programs,"C:\Program Files",C:\Programme,"C:\Program Files (x86)"''
+If ''Comment'' is the single word ''required'', ''mysigchk.bat'' will report if the file was not found. All other text in ''Comment'' is ignored and can be used for comments.
+If ''Version'' is empty ''mysigchk.bat'' will report the version number using the syntax of LISTFILE. So, a LISTFILE with no ''Version'' numbers can be used to create a file with the current status of version numbers.
+==== Helper script ====
+The script uses a helper script ''getversion.vbs'' to retrieve the version number of the files (download below). In order for ''mysigchk.bat'' to work, just download both scripts into the same folder. Otherwise, one needs to change the path to ''getversion.vbs'' in ''mysigchk.bat''.
+Previously, ''mysigchk.bat'' was a wrapper around Sysinternals' [[http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897441.aspx|sigcheck]]. Later, we found that a simple VBS script works as well, in fact, it's even faster. The old version of ''mysigchk.bat'' is still available though: {{:misc:mysigch1.bat}} (1 KB, last update 2012-09-21)
+===== Examples =====
+==== Command line ====
+<code dos>
+mysigchk.bat filestocheck.dat
+mysigchk.bat filestocheck1.dat filestocheck2.dat
+mysigchk.bat filestocheck*.dat
+</code>
+==== List of files ====
+=== Example to read version numbers ===
+<file initial.dat>
+~\putty\putty.exe
+~\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
+~\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe
+</file>
+If you have these programs installed in their default directories running ''mysigchk.bat initial.dat'' should return something like
+<code>
+C:\Program Files\putty\putty.exe|0.62.0.0
+C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe|15.0.1.4631
+C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe|15.0.1.4633
+</code>
+So, this could then be stored as a new LISTFILE, modified and checked again.
+=== A larger example ===
+<file bash LISTFILE.dat>
+~\putty\putty.exe|0.62.0.0
+C:\Program Files\putty\putty.exe|0.62.0.0|required
+# Firefox and Thunderbird
+~\firefox\firefox.exe|15.0.1.4631
+~\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe|15.0.1.4631
+~\thunderbird\thunderbird.exe|15.0.1.4633
+~\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe|15.0.1.4633
+# Adobe Acrobat 10
+~\Adobe\Acrobat 10.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe|10.1.4.38
+# Adobe Reader X/Adobe Reader 10
+~\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe|10.1.4.38
+~\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\AcroRd32.dll|10.1.4.38
+~\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\plug_ins\EScript.api|10.1.4.38
+~\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\plug_ins\Annots.api|10.1.4.38
+# Foxit Reader
+~\pdfreader\Foxit Reader.exe|5.4.2.901
+~\Foxit Reader\Foxit Reader.exe|5.4.2.901
+~\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\Foxit Reader.exe|5.4.2.901
+# Miscellaneous
+~\irfanview\i_view32.exe|4.33
+~\totalcmd\totalcmd.exe|8.0.1.0
+~\vlc\vlc.exe|2.0.3.0
+~\VideoLAN\vlc.exe|2.0.3.0
+~\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe|2.0.3.0
+~\winamp\winamp.exe|5.6.3.3234
+~\winscp\winscp.exe|4.3.9.1817
+~\winscp3\winscp.exe|4.3.9.1817
+~\SumatraPDF\SumatraPDF.exe|2.1.1.0.0
+# Microsoft
+~\Microsoft Security Client\MsMpEng.exe|4.0.1526.0
+</file>
+===== History =====
+<code>
+-12-01 First usable version, provided to colleagues
+-09-03 Added placeholder ~ (tilde) to look for files in common dirs
+-09-21 Updated script and made it publicly available
+-09-24 Replaced sigcheck.exe with getversion.vbs
+</code>
+===== Disclaimer =====
+I have tested this only on some Windows XP, and Windows 7 installations. It's my first attempt at using batch file extensions, delayed expansion and variable modifiers. Use at your own risk.
+===== License =====
+This script is free software. Use it as you please. It comes without any warranties, though.
+===== Download =====
+{{:misc:mysigchk.bat}} + {{:misc:getversion.vbs|}}
+~~DISCUSSION~~

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