Get “Last Modified by” of Word 2010 file by opening and using sendkeys from batch script

Question

I'm trying to get the person who last modified a Word 2010 document and I thought I'd be really smart by just opening the file and using sendkeys. I've never used sendkeys, so it's probably some really simple fix with my syntax.

I tried using this help topic to fix it, but am having no luck: Press Keyboard keys using a batch file

Here are my problems:

1. It only works if Word is already open, and then it changes the open window to the file I want. Can we have it so that I don't have to open word first?

2. It can only type text in word. Can't seem to send the special keys like alt. I was trying "{%}", but it gives me a java runtime error. So, I guess there's something wrong with the Jscript at the bottom?

3. If I try to use WScript.Sleep 5000 I get a runtime error too.

4. If I try specifying what window to make active, WshShell.AppActivate, I get a runtime error.

I'm also new to Jscript. I'd be grateful for any help. Thanks, CJ.

My code:

@if (@CodeSection == @Batch) @then

@echo off

rem use the sendkeys 
set SendKeys=CScript //nologo //E:JScript "%~F0"

cd C:\users\cbaker\desktop
start /w test.doc

%SendKeys% "{%}"
%SendKeys% "f"
%SendKeys% "i"
%SendKeys% "{tab 14}"
%Sendkeys% "^c"

rem Open notepad
cd C:\windows
start /w notpad.exe

%SendKeys% "^(V)"

goto :EOF

@end

// JScript section

var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.SendKeys(WScript.Arguments(0));

Answer 1

You could have a look at using VBScript, example here .

Basically, you would save a script like the one below in a file called "GetInfo.vbs" and then run

CSCRIPT /NOLOGO GetInfo.vbs

at a Command prompt.

Or you can double-click it in Windows (File) Explorer.

Note that you will have to change the name in the second line to match your document. You will also maybe need to look at how to pass arguments on the command-line so you can start it with the name of a document that you want to check.

Set objPropertyReader = CreateObject("DSOleFile.PropertyReader") 
Set objDocument = objPropertyReader.GetDocumentProperties _ 
    ("C:\Scripts\Test.doc") 

Wscript.Echo "Application name: " & objDocument.AppName 
Wscript.Echo "Author: " & objDocument.Author 
Wscript.Echo "Comments: " & objDocument.Comments 
Wscript.Echo "Company: " & objDocument.Company 
Wscript.Echo "Date created: " & objDocument.DateCreated 
Wscript.Echo "Date last saved: " & objDocument.DateLastSaved 
Wscript.Echo "Last edited by: " & objDocument.LastEditedBy 

Belowis another method... if you look through the code, you will see the Author is extracted. You may have to play around looking for other fields but a little Googling should solve it.

On Error Resume Next

Set objWord = CreateObject("Word.Application")
Wscript.Echo "Active Printer:", objWord.ActivePrinter

For Each objAddIn in objWord.AddIns
    Wscript.Echo "AddIn: ", objAddIn
Next

Wscript.Echo "Application:", objWord.Application
Wscript.Echo "Assistant:", objWord.Assistant

For Each objCaption in objWord.AutoCaptions
    Wscript.Echo "AutoCaptions:", objCaption
Next
Wscript.Echo "Automation Security:", objWord.AutomationSecurity
Wscript.Echo "Background Printing Status:", objWord.BackgroundPrintingStatus
Wscript.Echo "Background Saving Status:", objWord.BackgroundSavingStatus
Wscript.Echo "Browse Extra File Type:", objWord.BrowseExtraFileTypes
Wscript.Echo "Build:", objWord.Build
Wscript.Echo "Caps Lock:", objWord.CapsLock
Wscript.Echo "Caption:", objWord.Caption

For Each objLabel in objWord.CaptionLabels
    Wscript.Echo "Caption Label:", objLabel
Next

Wscript.Echo "Check Language:", objWord.CheckLanguage

For Each objAddIn in objWord.COMAddIns
    Wscript.Echo "COM AddIn:", objAddIn
Next

Wscript.Echo "Creator:", objWord.Creator

For Each objDictionary in objWord.CustomDictionaries
    Wscript.Echo "Custom Dictionary:", objDictionary
Next

Wscript.Echo "Customization Context:", objWord.CustomizationContext
Wscript.Echo "Default Legal Blackline:", objWord.DefaultLegalBlackline
Wscript.Echo "Default Save Format:", objWord.DefaultSaveFormat
Wscript.Echo "Default Table Separator:", objWord.DefaultTableSeparator

For Each objDialog in objWord.Dialogs
    Wscript.Echo "Dialog:", objDialog
Next

Wscript.Echo "Display Alerts:", objWord.DisplayAlerts
Wscript.Echo "Display Recent Files:", objWord.DisplayRecentFiles
Wscript.Echo "Display Screen Tips:", objWord.DisplayScreenTips
Wscript.Echo "Display Scroll Bars:", objWord.DisplayScrollBars

For Each objDocument in objWord.Documents
    Wscript.Echo "Document:", objDocument
Next

Wscript.Echo "Email Template:", objWord.EmailTemplate
Wscript.Echo "Enable Cancel Key:", objWord.EnableCancelKey
Wscript.Echo "Feature Install:", objWord.FeatureInstall

For Each objConverter in objWord.FileConverters
    Wscript.Echo "File Converter:", objConverter
Next

Wscript.Echo "Focus In MailHeader:", objWord.FocusInMailHeader

For Each objFont in objWord.FontNames
    Wscript.Echo "Font Name:", objFont
Next

Wscript.Echo "Height", objWord.Height

For Each objBinding in objWord.KeyBindings
    Wscript.Echo "Key Binding:", objBinding
Next

For Each objFont in objWord.LandscapeFontNames
    Wscript.Echo "Landscape Font Name:", objFont
Next

Wscript.Echo "Language", objWord.Language

For Each objLanguage in objWord.Languages
    Wscript.Echo "Language:", objLanguage
Next

Wscript.Echo "Left", objWord.Left
Wscript.Echo "Mail System:", objWord.MailSystem
Wscript.Echo "MAPI Available:", objWord.MAPIAvailable
Wscript.Echo "Math Coprocessor Available:", objWord.MathCoprocessorAvailable
Wscript.Echo "Mouse Available:", objWord.MouseAvailable
Wscript.Echo "Name:", objWord.Name
Wscript.Echo "Normal Template:", objWord.NormalTemplate
Wscript.Echo "Num Lock:", objWord.NumLock
Wscript.Echo "Parent:", objWord.Parent
Wscript.Echo "Path:", objWord.Path
Wscript.Echo "Path Separator:", objWord.PathSeparator
Wscript.Echo "Print Preview:", objWord.PrintPreview

For Each objFile in objWord.RecentFiles
    Wscript.Echo "Recent File:", objFile
Next

Wscript.Echo "Screen Updating:", objWord.ScreenUpdating
Wscript.Echo "Show Visual Basic Editor:", objWord.ShowVisualBasicEditor
Wscript.Echo "Special Mode:", objWord.SpecialMode
Wscript.Echo "Startup Path:", objWord.StartupPath

For Each objTask in objWord.Tasks
    Wscript.Echo "Task:", objTask
Next

For Each objTemplate in objWord.Templates
    Wscript.Echo "Template:", objTemplate
Next

Wscript.Echo "Top:", objWord.Top
Wscript.Echo "Usable Height:", objWord.UsableHeight
Wscript.Echo "Usable Width:", objWord.UsableWidth
Wscript.Echo "User Address:", objWord.UserAddress
Wscript.Echo "User Control:", objWord.UserControl
Wscript.Echo "User Initials:", objWord.UserInitials
Wscript.Echo "User Name:", objWord.UserName
Wscript.Echo "Version:", objWord.Version
Wscript.Echo "Visible:", objWord.Visible
Wscript.Echo "Width:", objWord.Width

For Each objWindow in objWord.Windows
    Wscript.Echo "Window:", objWindow
Next

Wscript.Echo "Window State:", objWord.WindowState
objWord.Quit