Using the "start" command with parameters passed to the started program

I have a Virtual Machine in Virtual PC 2007.

To start it from the desktop, I have the following command in a batch file:

"c:\program files\Microsoft Virtual PC\Virtual PC.exe" -pc "MY-PC" -launch

But that leaves a dos prompt on the host machine until the virtual machine shuts down, and I exit out of the Virtual PC console. That's annoying.

So I changed my command to use the START command, instead:

start "c:\program files\Microsoft Virtual PC\Virtual PC.exe" -pc MY-PC -launch

But it chokes on the parameters passed into Virtual PC.

START /? indicates that parameters do indeed go in that location. Has anyone used START to launch a program with multiple command-line arguments?

Solution 1:

START has a peculiarity involving double quotes around the first parameter. If the first parameter has double quotes it uses that as the optional TITLE for the new window.

I believe what you want is:

start "" "c:\program files\Microsoft Virtual PC\Virtual PC.exe" -pc MY-PC -launch

In other words, give it an empty title before the name of the program to fake it out.

Solution 2:

Instead of a batch file, you can create a shortcut on the desktop.

Set the target to:

"c:\program files\Microsoft Virtual PC\Virtual PC.exe" -pc "MY-PC" -launch

and you're all set. Since you're not starting up a command prompt to launch it, there will be no DOS Box.

Solution 3:

The spaces are DOSs/CMDs Problems so you should go to the Path via:

cd "c:\program files\Microsoft Virtual PC"

and then simply start VPC via:

start Virtual~1.exe -pc MY-PC -launch

~1 means the first exe with "Virtual" at the beginning. So if there is a "Virtual PC.exe" and a "Virtual PC1.exe" the first would be the Virtual~1.exe and the second Virtual~2.exe and so on.

Or use a VNC-Client like VirtualBox.

Solution 4:

You can use quotes by using the [/D"Path"] use /D only for specifying the path and not the path+program. It appears that all code on the same line that follows goes back to normal meaning you don't need to separate path and file.

    start  /D "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\" IEXPLORE.EXE

or:

    start  /D "TITLE" "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\" IEXPLORE.EXE

will start IE with default web page.

    start  /D "TITLE" "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\" IEXPLORE.EXE www.bing.com

starts with Bing, but does not reset your home page.

/D stands for "directory" and using quotes is OK!

WRONG EXAMPLE:

    start  /D "TITLE" "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE"

gives:

ERROR "The current directory is invalid."

/D must only be followed by a directory path. Then space and the batchfile or program you wish to start/run

Tested and works under XP but windows Vista/7/8 may need some adjustments to UAC.

-Mrbios

Solution 5:

None of these answers worked for me.

Instead, I had to use the Call command:

Call "\\Path To Program\Program.exe" <parameters>

I'm not sure this actually waits for completion... the C++ Redistributable I was installing went fast enough that it didn't matter