.bat file execution from a .tex document during compilation

Question

Is there a way to execute a .bat file directly from a latex document when I compile that document?

I would something like this:

\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}
\chapter{test}
bla bla bla
ecc...
\executebat{C:\...\...\...}
\end{document}

Answer 1

You have to run LaTeX (latex, pdflatex, xelatex or lualatex) with the -shell-escape option: then this code defines what you need.

\usepackage{pdftexcmds}
\makeatletter
\newcommand{\executebat}[1]{%
  \ifnum\pdf@shellescape=\@ne
    \immediate\write18{#1}%
  \else
    \GenericError{}{Shell escape not enabled}{}
      {You have to run (pdf)LaTeX with the option `-shell-escape'}%
  \fi
}
\makeatother

However, if your purpose is to run MakeIndex, then the imakeidx package does it without user intervention (not with the article class unless some precautions are taken).