How to supress Powershell window when using the -File option

Question

I'm calling Powershell like so:

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -noprofile -noninteractive -nologo -file "C:\Users\dummy\Documents\dev\powershell\samples\test.ps1"

I'm calling it from a python script, but the same problem can be observed if called via a shortcut. I thought the -NonInteractive flag would cause Poweshell to execute in a hidden window, but it doesn't. Is there a way of supressing the console window when calling Powershell from an external application?

Solution based on Johannes Rössel suggestion

import subprocess
st_inf = subprocess.STARTUPINFO()
st_inf.dwFlags = st_inf.dwFlags | subprocess.STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW
subprocess.Popen(["notepad"], startupinfo=st_inf)

Answer 1

You can pass appropriate arguments to CreateProcess or Process.Start to suppress the console window.

However, PowerShell also has a -WindowStyle parameter which you can set to hidden.

Answer 2

I had no luck with -WindowStyle Hidden, because a console window appeared every time for a while.

That's why I use a helper exe called PsRun.exe that does exactly that. You can download source and exe file Run scheduled tasks with WinForm GUI in PowerShell. I use it for scheduled tasks.

(Note that -windowstyle parameter is available only for V2.)

Answer 3

Use -WindowStyle Hidden. See here.