How to locate Executable paths with WMIC and Powershell - python-3.x

Question

I am using both python and Powershell and I can't figure out the discrepancies between the 2. Obviously one is using WMIC and the other is using Get-ItemProperty -path.
How can I get the path's from the WMIC for all executables. Python example as Follow:
if use_cached_program_list is False:
# traverse the software list
Data = subprocess.check_output(['wmic', 'product', 'get', 'name'])
program_list = sorted(str(Data).split("\\r\\r\\n"))
# Filter out string that contain no alphanumeric characters
program_list = [x.strip() for x in program_list if re.search('[a-zA-Z0-9]', x) is not None]
# Get absolute path of current file
sp = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.absolute()
cached_file_path = os.path.join(sp, "Caches", cache_file)
with open(cached_file_path, "w") as fs:
# arrange the string and output to file
for i in range(0, len(program_list)):
item = program_list[i]
fs.write(item + "\n")
Returns an output of 477 "Programs" I use quotes on programs cause it returns, all sdk's whether it is extensions or runtimes as displayed below:
Active Directory Authentication Library for SQL Server
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Adobe Refresh Manager
Advanced IP Scanner 2.5
Application Verifier x64 External Package
Application Verifier x64 External Package
Application Verifier x64 External Package
Application Verifier x64 External Package
When I use Powershell, and the Get-ItemProperty and search the registry here is the code:
Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\*" | Where-Object {$q + $_."(default)" -ne $null} | Select-Object #{ expression={$_.PSChildName}; label='Program'} ,#{ expression={$q + $_."(default)" +$q}; label='CommandLine'} | Export-Csv -Path .\programs.csv -Encoding ascii -NoTypeInformation
I have not updated this code above to remove all Double Quotations, but none the less still has same results.
To remove all Double Quotation marks the code is:
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\*" | Where "(default)" -ne $null |
Select #{ E={$_.PSChildName}; N='Program'} ,#{ E={$_."(default)".Trim('"')}; N='CommandLine'} |
export-csv .\programs.csv -Encoding ascii -NoType
here is the output:
"7zFM.exe","C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7zFM.exe"
"AcroRd32.exe","C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"
"Adobe Audition CC.exe","""C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Audition CC 2019\Adobe Audition CC.exe"""
"Adobe Media Encoder.exe","""C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Media Encoder CC 2019\Adobe Media Encoder.exe"""
"Adobe Premiere Pro.exe","""C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019\Adobe Premiere Pro.exe"""
"AfterFX.exe","C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects CC 2019\Support Files\AfterFX.exe"
This results in only 75 applications installed. Reason is that it checks the uninstall key, and from what I know it appears many companies who develop software simply do not adhere to Microsoft's policies on registry keys. or did not use an MSI installer.
Now before anyone starts saying the Registry keys needed to search are both
HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*
HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*
Whether I use one or both of those registry paths they return the exact same results with both 32bit and 64 bit.
The Goal:
I am trying to get WMIC to return the path for all of the executables, and I will filter out the unwanted stuff later.
Any ideas?
Thank you

Answer 1

This is the same thing as "wmic product get name" in powershell. This class tends to be slow since it verifies every msi.
get-ciminstance win32_product | % name
Or you can do (powershell 5.1):
get-package | % name