# Running Scripts

When you start AutoIt you will be asked to open a script file. A script file is a simple text file containing AutoIt keywords and functions that tell AutoIt what you want it to do. Script files are created in a simple text editor such as notepad.exe or a much better alternative.

Although AutoIt v3 scripts are just plain-text files they are usually given the file extension .au3 to help tell the difference between a script and a text file. If you used the full installer to install AutoIt you can execute an AutoIt script simply by double-clicking it. There are also various options to open, edit, or compile a script if you right-click on the .au3 file.

Here is an example script. Notice that ; is used for comments (much like REM in DOS batch files):

; This is my first script
MsgBox(0, "My First Script!", "Hello World!")

More complicated scripts may use functions, which are usually placed at the end of a script. Here is a similar script using functions:

; This is my second script (with functions)
MsgBox(0, "My second script!", "Hello from the main script!")
TestFunc()
Func TestFunc()
MsgBox(0, "My Second Script!", "Hello from the functions!")
EndFunc

## Command Line Parameters

The special array $CmdLine is initialized with the command line parameters passed in to your AutoIt script. Note the scriptname is not classed as a parameter; get this information with @ScriptName instead. A parameter that contains spaces must be surrounded by "double quotes". Compiled scripts accept command line parameters in the same way.
$CmdLine[0] is number of parameters
$CmdLine[1] is param 1 (after the script name)
$CmdLine[2] is param 2 etc
...
$CmdLine[$CmdLine[0]] is one way to get the last parameter...

So if your script is run like this:

AutoIt3.exe myscript.au3 param1 "this is another param"

$CmdLine[0] equals... 2

$CmdLine[1] equals... param1

$CmdLine[2] equals... this is another param

@ScriptName equals... myscript.au3

In addition to $CmdLine there is a variable called $CmdLineRaw that contains the entire command line unsplit, so for the above example:

$CmdLineRaw equals... myscript.au3 param1 "this is another param"

If the script was compiled it would have been run like this:

myscript.exe param1 "this is another param"

$CmdLineRaw equals... param1 "this is another param"

Note that $CmdLineRaw just return the parameters.

Note : only 63 parameters can be return by $CmdLine[...], but $CmdLineRaw will always returns the entire command line.

## AutoIt specific command Line Switches

Form1: AutoIt3.exe [/ErrorStdOut] [/AutoIt3ExecuteScript] file [params ...]
Execute an AutoIt3 Script File

/ErrorStdOut Allows to redirect fatal error to StdOut which can be captured by an application as Scite editor. This switch can be used with a compiled script.

To execute a standard AutoIt Script File 'myscript.au3', use the command:
'AutoIt3.exe myscript.au3'

Form2: Compiled.exe [/ErrorStdOut] [params ...]
Execute an compiled AutoIt3 Script File produced with Aut2Exe.

Form3: Compiled.exe [/ErrorStdOut] [/AutoIt3ExecuteScript file] [params ...]
Execute another script file from a compiled AutoIt3 Script File. Then you don't need to fileinstall another copy of AutoIT3.exe in your compiled file.

Form4: AutoIt3.exe [/ErrorStdOut] /AutoIt3ExecuteLine "command line"
Execute one line of code.
To execute a single line of code, use the command:
Run(@AutoItExe & ' /AutoIt3ExecuteLine "MsgBox(0, ''Hello World!'', ''Hi!'')"')

The tray icon will not be displayed when using /AutoIt3ExecuteLine
NOTE: Correct usage of single- and double- quotation marks is important, even double single.