Stuck on simple thing: why won't my Run work?

[LondonNDIB]

I don't get it.  I have this:

Run( "E:\Program Files (x86)\Folder\Sub Folder With Spaces\Program.exe" )

Simple enough, right?

The program doesn't launch.  I've confirmed (absolutely) that the path and file name is correct and if I just copy it and paste it into Windows Explorer it launches as expected so there aren't any typos.  I even did a If FileExists check and it comes back true.

In the help file, it says:

 

Paths with spaces need to be enclosed in quotation marks.

 

I don't know why it says that, considering paths without spaces also need to be enclosed (afterall, that's how we enter text strings, right?) but whatever... mine is.

note that my @ProgramFilesDir is *not* "E:Program Files (x86)", which is why I've hardcoded it.  I doubt that has anything to do with anything, just thought I'd mention it.

 

What am I doing wrong on this simple matter?

[MikahS]

Any chance you can tell us what application you are trying to run so that we can try and reproduce?

[LondonNDIB]

Sure, it is Camtasia's Recorder.  They have a trial version which I'd imagine would work the same.

Specifically, it is the CamRecorder.exe application.

 

This works though;

Run( @ComSpec & ' /c "E:\Program Files (x86)\TechSmith\Camtasia Studio 8\CamRecorder.exe"', "", @SW_HIDE )

But I don't understand why it would and not directly.  It isn't a command line app.

[MikahS]

I will give it a test and let you know if the same thing happens to me. The only time I have hit problems is when I accidentally wanted to use Run for a file, which will return a 0 because you are not starting a process.

I'll let you know, and hope someone with more knowledge can show up and help out more than me.

[BrewManNH]

Run( '"E:\Program Files (x86)\Folder\Sub Folder With Spaces\Program.exe"' )

I surrounded the whole thing in single quotes, that way the path and file name are inside the double quotes. See if that works for you.

[LondonNDIB]

Thanks MikahS

 

Just a further thought:  Perhaps its not anything to do with that application, but rather the path of my script.

When I ran the @comspec command with /k and @SW_SHOW (so I could see what's going on), I noted that windows gave me a warning about UNC paths not being supported.  It then defaulted to C:Windows as the working directory and worked fine.  Maybe (?) the Run command also doesn't support UNC paths and fails because it doesn't default?  Just a thought.

My scripts are located on a server.  I run them at a workstation. 

 

Hmm, but then I would think this would work:

Run( "E:\Program Files (x86)\TechSmith\Camtasia Studio 8\CamRecorder.exe", "c:\Windows" )

but it also fails.

I also tried enclosing the quoted string in quotes:

Run( '"E:\Program Files (x86)\TechSmith\Camtasia Studio 8\CamRecorder.exe"', "c:\Windows" )

Still nothing.  So confused

[BrewManNH]

Are you using #RequireAdmin in the script? If so, that means that the Administrator account doesn't have an E: drive.

[LondonNDIB]

Are you using #RequireAdmin in the script?

 

No, I'm not

[DicatoroftheUSA]

Change the working directory away from C:windows. Try pointing it to the CamRecorder program directory.

[LondonNDIB]

Yeah, I did that first.  I only went with C:Windows because that's what CMD does after it fails with the UNC directory.

It really shouldn't matter though.  The working directory isn't the path, its just the directory from where the program is called.  Other than UNC not being supported, because I have no output or files created it really shouldn't matter what the working directory is so long as it is valid.

Edited January 20, 2015 by LondonNDIB

[DicatoroftheUSA]

Will it open if you use 'shellexecute' rather than run?

[LondonNDIB]

Isn't ShellExecute for opening a file (by way of its associated application), not an application?

[DicatoroftheUSA]

I believe it just uses the default handler specified by windows shell. So you should be able to open applications with it, I don't know if its ideal or not, just something to try.

Edited January 20, 2015 by DicatoroftheUSA

[willichan]

You already stated in post #3 that

Run( @ComSpec & ' /c "E:\Program Files (x86)\TechSmith\Camtasia Studio 8\CamRecorder.exe"', "", @SW_HIDE )

works.  Is there a reason why you do not want to do it that way?

[LondonNDIB]

Nope.  

Curiosity I guess.  It doesn't feel right that I have to go round-a-bout on something that should be straight forward.

[willichan]

A quick Google search turned up this document and this thread.

CamRecorder.exe was designed to be called from a batch file.  Most such EXEs need to be called using the command interpreter to function.  That is why you need to use the @ComSpec call to make it work.

[LondonNDIB]

Thanks!