Execute a command every n seconds?

[pstein]

How can I execute (from a DOS batch script) a command every n (e.g. 5) seconds?

The command output should be shown at the command prompt "as usual".

This loop should be stoppable only by hitting Ctrl+C (or by closing the cmd.exe window by clicking the "x")

Peter

[SIMMS7400]

Code: Select all

:LOOP

<execute command here>

PING -n 5 127.0.0.1>nul

GOTO LOOP

[dubcusb]

Code: Select all

:LOOP

<execute command here>

PING -n 5 127.0.0.1>nul

GOTO LOOP

Why use "ping" instead of "timeout"? timeout is more precise and easier to remember.

Code: Select all

:loop

<command>

timeout /nobreak /t <time in seconds> > NUL

goto loop

Add "> NUL" at the end to hide the timeout output.

[SIMMS7400]

Certain utilities don't like TIMEOUT, such as PsExec.

[Squashman]

Certain utilities don't like TIMEOUT, such as PsExec.

Would love to see an example.

[ShadowThief]

I could have sworn there was some version of Windows that didn't come with timeout...

[penpen]

Yes, Windows XP has no "timeout.exe".
But for this task you could use "sleep.exe" which is contained in the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools:
If you don't need any other tool, then you could open "rktools.exe" using for example "7zip", then
"Open Inside" the (packed) file "rktools.msi", mark "sleep.exe" and extract just that file only.


penpen