Problem with system command on Windows

[shrek123]

Hi,

I want to do following operations:

1. Execute exe from perl script.
I am using following code:

system ("start \.\.\\Client\.exe");

Perl script is one directory up the directory where Client.exe is present.
My problem is that the it starts the client.exe with error. Actually the libraries that i have called in the exe program are not getting executed( or called).
I compiled Winbatch script to get Client.exe.

2. Open Outlook using perl script.

system ("start C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\outlook\.exe");

It gives an error saying system can not find the file "C;\Progrm".
Even if I use

system ("start C:\\Program\s Files\\Microsoft\sOffice\\outlook\.exe");

I gives an error: system can not find the file
"C;\ProgrmsFiles\MicrosoftsOffice\outlook.exe" .

Any direction to solve the problem would ba a great help.

[numberwhun]

First, I am going to assume that you are operating on a Windows operating system. That said, you are not escaping all of the spaces or other special characters. Take a look at this quick script that I just put together and tested. This worked fine:

use strict;
use warnings;
 
system("c:\\Program\ Files\\Microsoft\ Office\\OFFICE11\\Outlook.exe");
 

As you can see, not only did I double slash the entire path, but I also slash escaped the spaces in "Program Files" and "Microsoft Outlook". This is a must do to get that working.

Regards,

Jeff

[extrastuff123]

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
$dpath="\"C:\\Program Files\\VMware\\VMware Workstation\"";
$vmdpath="\"C:\\Users\\vijay\\Documents\\Virtual Machines\"";
printf "Enter the name of VM:";
$name=<STDIN>;
chomp $name;
$cmd="$dpath\\vmrun start $vmdpath\\$name\\$name.vmx";
system $cmd;
 

I was able to solve the issue of space in between "Program Files" & "VMware Workstation" using guidelines given above but when I ask user to enter the name of VM & if this "name" contains space like "suse linux 10.2" etc then again I am getting stuck at the same problem mentioned above

[eWish]

I would try this and see if it help your issue. Also use the strict pragma.

my $dpath=q{C:\\Program Files\\VMware\\VMware Workstation};

The q{} is like a single quote. If you use qq{} it is like using double quotes.

[savanm]

hi ..

this single line code is working well ...

system ("C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\office\\outlook.exe");

system ("C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\office\\POWERPNT.EXE");

I checked....

Check the path ...

[KevinADC]

You should be doing this:

my $cmd = 'C:/Program Files/Microsoft Office/office/outlook.exe';
system($cmd);

Windows uses forward slashes or backslashes in directory paths, but backslashes in perl are meta characters and just confuse the issues when used needlessly. Also, use the correct quotes for the situation.