Running Scripts
Archived: 2026-04-05 18:49:29 UTC
More complicated scripts can introduce functions. These are usually placed towards the end of a script or below
the Global variable declaration section.
MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "My second script!", "Hello from the main script!") Example_Func() Func
Example_Func() Return MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "My Second Script!", "Hello from the functions!")
EndFunc ;==>Example_Func @@End@@
Command Line Parameters
Passing command line parameters to your own executable is achievable in AutoIt. Passed commandline
parameters can be viewed by using the constant variables $CmdLine and $CmdLineRaw. Assigning these
variables with new data will cause AutoIt to return an error, as these cannot be changed during the script's
execution. Note that both variables exist whether commandline parameters are passed or not.
The special array $CmdLine is initialized at the start of the script with the command line parameters passed to
your AutoIt script. If running your script instead of the executable, then the ScriptName.au3 willl be ignored as a
parameter.
If you're passing strings with spaces, then you will need to escape these using "double quotes" in your
commandline string.
@@SyntaxHighlighting@@ $CmdLine[0] ; Contains the total number of items in the array. $CmdLine[1] ; The
first parameter. $CmdLine[2] ; The second parameter. ... $CmdLine[nth] ; The nth parameter e.g. 10 if the array
contains 10 items. @@End@@
So if you were to run your script directly using AutoIt3.exe:
@@SyntaxHighlighting@@ AutoIt3.exe myScript.au3 param1 "This is a string parameter" 99 @@End@@
@@SyntaxHighlighting@@ $CmdLine[0] ; This contains 3 parameters. $CmdLine[1] ; This contains param1 and
not myScript.au3 as this is ignored when running non-compiled. $CmdLine[2] ; This contains This is a string
parameter. $CmdLine[3] ; This contains 99. $CmdLineRaw ; This contains myScript.au3 param1 "This is a string
parameter" 99. @@End@@
So if you were to use the compiled executable by passing commandline parameters:
@@SyntaxHighlighting@@ myProg.exe param1 "This is a string parameter" 99 @@End@@
@@SyntaxHighlighting@@ $CmdLine[0] ; This contains 3 parameters. $CmdLine[1] ; This contains param1.
$CmdLine[2] ; This contains This is a string parameter. $CmdLine[3] ; This contains 99. @@End@@
AutoIt specific command Line Switches
The AutoIt3.exe interpreter, or the interpreter stub of any compiled Autoit script, can normally be used to run
AutoIt scripts directly from the command line.  In all cases the /ErrorStdOut switch allows the redirection of a
https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/intro/running.htm
Page 1 of 3

fatal error to StdOut which can then be captured by an application such as the SciTE editor. This switch can be
used with both the interpreter and a compiled script.
Run a script using the interpreter: 
AutoIt3.exe [/ErrorStdOut] [/AutoIt3ExecuteScript] filename [params ...]                 Execute the AutoIt3 script
'filename' with optional parameters
At its simplest: AutoIt3.exe myScript.au3 will run a standard AutoIt script 'myScript.au3' with no parameters.
Run a compiled script:
Compiled.exe [/ErrorStdOut] [params ...]
                Execute a compiled AutoIt3 Script File produced with Aut2Exe.
Run a single line of code:
AutoIt3.exe [/ErrorStdOut] /AutoIt3ExecuteLine "command line"
                Execute one line of code.
The command below will execute that single line of code and display the MsgBox with "Hello World!". The tray
icon will not be displayed. 
@@SyntaxHighlighting@@ Run(@AutoItExe & ' /AutoIt3ExecuteLine "MsgBox(4096, ''Hello World!'', ''Hi!'')"')
@@End@@
Run a script using another compiled script:
Compiled.exe [/ErrorStdOut] /AutoIt3ExecuteScript file [params ...]
                Execute another AutoIt script file from a compiled AutoIt3 executable. 
Compiled.exe [/ErrorStdOut] /AutoIt3ExecuteLine "command line"
                Execute one line of code as with AutoIt3.exe above. 
This means that there is no need to have a copy of AutoIt3.exe in addition to the compiled file - the interpreter
stub of the compiled file will replace it.  So as long as there is at least one compiled script available, other AutoIt
scripts can be run without the need to have AutoIt3.exe on the machine., either pre-installed or added via
FileInstall.
Important Notes
However, the executable must have been compiled with the #pragma compile(AutoItExecuteAllowed, True)
directive as the default setting does not permit use of the /AutoItExecuteScript or /AutoItExecuteLine parameters.
Moreover, since the interpreter stub searches for any required standard #include files in its current folder, UDF
functions and various constants may not be available as those files are normally only found in the full AutoIt
install. It is therefore recommended that any scripts intended to be run in this manner are compiled to the .a3x
format rather then being left as plain .au3 text files
https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/intro/running.htm
Page 2 of 3

Correct usage of single and double quotation marks is important when using the command line - even for double
single quotation marks.
Source: https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/intro/running.htm
https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/intro/running.htm
Page 3 of 3