white spaces in path while using start command

[Grimbear13]

I'm trying to make a startup process at work.  I need it to open several programs in a certain order.  The problem I keep running into is white spaces in the directories or the folders I need opened.

start C:\folder1\folder2\Folder To Be Opened

It will either tell me that Folder does not exist there or it will open another folder that is just that first word.  Since I am at work and these are used by other processes I cannot just rename them.  Also I found that I could not use "" like in many other languages and batch processes because the start command automatically uses the "" to assign window title. 

I attempted to use the /d command but that didn't seem to work as well as assigning the path to a variable to be called.  However when using variables I couldn't get it to run the path and not whatever the varaiable name was.

set TM="Ticket Folder"

start C:\fold1\fold2\TM
cannot find TM

start C:\fold1\fold2\%TM
cannot find TM

start C:\fold1\fold2\%%TM
cannot find %TM

I had previously run into issues with variables in for loops and the double % was the fix so I attempted here as well.

Thank you in Advance for reading/assistance.

[nothlit]

To expand a variable you need to do

Code: [Select]

%tm%

Have you tried

Code: [Select]

Start explorer C:\folder1\folder2\folder

[billrich]

C:\batch>type  grimbear.bat

Code: [Select]

@echo off
REM  TM below is variable and runs in RAM
REM  C:\fold1\fold2\TM.  TM is a file stored on the HDD.
REM Fold1 and fold2 are directories located on the HDD.

cd \


set TM="Ticket Folder"

echo TM = %TM%

cd \
cd batch
md fold1
cd fold1
md fold2
cd fold2

echo this a file called TM  > TM.txt

type TM.txt

dir *.*
Output:

C:\batch>grimbear.bat
TM = "Ticket Folder"
This a file called TM
 Volume in drive C has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is F4A3-D6B3

 Directory of C:\batch\fold1\fold2

12/07/2009  11:18 AM    <DIR>          .
12/07/2009  11:18 AM    <DIR>          ..
12/07/2009  11:20 AM                25 TM.txt
               1 File(s)             25 bytes
               2 Dir(s)  305,553,166,336 bytes free

C:\batch\fold1\fold2>

[gpl]

Try

Code: [Select]

start "C:\fold1\fold2\%TM%"

[billrich]

Try

Code: [Select]

start "C:\fold1\fold2\%TM%"

Is  %TM%  a file or a variable?

If TM is a file is the extention .txt . . . TM.txt?

[BC_Programmer]

Is  %TM%  a file or a variable?

If TM is a file is the extention .txt . . . TM.txt?

it's a variable, according to the first post:

set TM="Ticket Folder"

the OP has tried %TM and %%TM but missed the proper method of accessing environment variables, which was to delimit both ends with percent signs %TM%.

[billrich]

it's a variable, according to the first post:

the OP has tried %TM and %%TM but missed the proper method of accessing environment variables, which was to delimit both ends with percent signs %TM%.

Grimbear (OP ) cannot find the variable  TM  Or %TM%  on the hard disk drive:

start C:\fold1\fold2\TM

"cannot find TM"  (System Error )

"cannot find %TM%"  (System Error )

[Helpmeh]

Grimbear (OP ) cannot find the variable  TM  Or %TM%  on the hard disk drive:

start C:\fold1\fold2\TM

"cannot find TM"  (System Error )

"cannot find %TM%"  (System Error )

Because %TM% already has quotes in it maybe? And on a different note, what happened to your post count? If you don't feel comfortable talking about it in public, you can send me a pm.

[Salmon Trout]

what happened to your post count?

 

[Salmon Trout]

Also I found that I could not use "" like in many other languages and batch processes because the start command automatically uses the "" to assign window title. 

Yes, it does, but you can still use them later on e.g.

Code: [Select]

start "" "C:\Program Files\Ahead DVD Ripper\Ahead DVD Ripper.exe"

[BC_Programmer]

Grimbear (OP ) cannot find the variable  TM  Or %TM%  on the hard disk drive:

"cannot find %TM%"  (System Error )

he never tried %TM%.

[Salmon Trout]

Nothing changes, does it? 

[Helpmeh]

[BC_Programmer]

 

Billrich was banned. That is why.

[billrich]

he never tried %TM%.

Variables can be found in RAM.  Files can be found on the Hard Disk Drive.

echo Variable TM = %TM%

A file TM  on the Hard Disk Drive is  found:

type C:\folder1\folder2\TM.txt