Pass string into cmd.exe as forced expression Topic is solved

[john_c]

It works:

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File := A_Desktop . "\test.html"
Run, %ComSpec% /c ""C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" %File%",, Hide

How to write it as forced expression?

Here is what I tried:

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Run, % ComSpec . A_Space . "/c ""C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"" . File",, Hide

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Run, % ComSpec . A_Space . "/c ""C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe""" . File,, Hide

Doesn't work, though.

[swagfag]

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% comspec "/c """"pathchrome.exe"" " file """"

[john_c]

@swagfag Hm, doesn't work for me

[swagfag]

cant test it myself right now. if File contains spaces, it too would probably have to be enclosed in quotes, so u can try doing that

[flyingDman]

This works for me:

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file := "C:\Users\xxx\Projects\WebPages\longlist.html"
Runwait %ComSpec% /c ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" "%File%"",, Hide

and so does this:

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Runwait %ComSpec% /c ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" %File%",, Hide

see help file here: https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/Run.htm

[john_c]

@flyingDman Your second version is a copy of mine.

Your first version is a slight improvement over it, thanks.

However, I want to use the forced expression. Your examples doesn't use it.

[jeeswg]

I think swagfag's was right apart from missing a space before the /c.

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;legacy style:
Run, %ComSpec% /c ""C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" %File%",, Hide
;expression style:
Run, % ComSpec " /c """"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"" " File """",, Hide
;more forwards compatible:
Run, % ComSpec " /c " Chr(34) Chr(34) "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" Chr(34) " " File Chr(34),, Hide

;legacy style:
Run, %ComSpec% /c ""C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" "%File%"",, Hide
;expression style:
Run, % ComSpec " /c """"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"" """ File """""",, Hide
;more forwards compatible:
Run, % ComSpec " /c " Chr(34) Chr(34) "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" Chr(34) " " Chr(34) File Chr(34) Chr(34),, Hide

[flyingDman]

What about this:?

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run % ComSpec /c """C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe""" """" File """" ,, Hide

Edit: had not seem @jeeswg 's response

[john_c]

@jeeswg But they don't work either

At least for me. Win7, AHK 1.1.30.03

Edit: I was wrong, it works.

[flyingDman]

Note: my Chrome.exe is in Program Files (x86)

[john_c]

@flyingDman thanks, works for me, for both spaced and not-spaced files:

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test.html
test test.html

It is strange, however, that /c is not enclosed in quote marks.

The @jeeswg version works for test.html but not for test test.html for now.

[jeeswg]

I've updated my earlier post to handle "%File%".

[john_c]

@jeeswg Thanks, I changed the accepted answer to yours.

It seems that the most clear version should follow 2 rules:

* Always use A_Space instead of normal space in case the space is located close to the quote mark.
* Always use """" for escaped quote marks.

Thus, the result will be:

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Run, % ComSpec . A_Space . "/c" . A_Space . """" . """" . "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" . """" . A_Space . """" . File . """" . """"

[jeeswg]

I would use one of 3 approaches, that I list at the top of this thread:
AHK v2 and strings - AutoHotkey Community
https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=36833
In this particular example, we are creating a command-line string within a command-line string, so for each approach, I create the command-line string via a two-stage process.

If I had to use an expression one-liner, I would do this:

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vDQ := Chr(34)
vPath := A_Desktop "\test.html"
vTarget := A_ComSpec " /c " vDQ vDQ "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" vDQ " " VDQ vPath vDQ vDQ
MsgBox, % vTarget