Launch an exe using system

priyaviswam has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Launch an exe using system by Anonymous Monk on Nov 14, 2011 at 07:35 UTC
It returned me an error. Please suggest. Read the error, understand the error, fix your code (you may need to read system) :) Use Proc::Background Or any equivalent you're comfortable with, where the answer was also Proc::Background	[reply]
Re^2: Launch an exe using system by priyaviswam (Sexton) on Nov 14, 2011 at 08:43 UTC
Thanks for your suggestion. The error is "Windows cannot find C:/program". The space in the program file is not read. So I was not able to launch the exe.	[reply]
Re^3: Launch an exe using system by Anonymous Monk on Nov 14, 2011 at 09:12 UTC
Well, that is an error message from the shell you're using, the shell which has the start command You can read about it if you use the help command ( `help start`) You can learn more about shells if you read Behind the GUI lives the Shell and perlrun If you use Proc::Background, you don't have to concern yourself with the shell start command	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: Launch an exe using system by priyaviswam (Sexton) on Nov 14, 2011 at 08:45 UTC
The error is "Windows cannot find C:/program. Make sure you type the name correctly, and then try again". The space in the program file is not read. So I was not able to launch the exe.	[reply]
Re^3: Launch an exe using system by GrandFather (Saint) on Nov 14, 2011 at 08:54 UTC
Well, there is the clue right there: the path to the "program" you want got truncated at the space. Just as you do on the command line you need to quote parameters that include spaces and similar interesting characters. One way to do that is: `system(qq{start "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft LifeCam\\LifeCam.e +xe"});` [download] See Quote and Quote like Operators True laziness is hard work	[reply] [d/l]
Re^3: Launch an exe using system by Corion (Patriarch) on Nov 14, 2011 at 08:57 UTC
You will need to supply proper quotes to the `start` command: `my $cmd = qq{start "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft LifeCam\\LifeCa +m.exe"}; system($cmd) == 0 or die "Couldn't launch [$cmd]: $! / $?";` [download] Alternatively, you can use the form of `system(1, ...)` as documented in perlport: `system( 1, $cmd ) ...` [download]	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^4: Launch an exe using system by priyaviswam (Sexton) on Nov 14, 2011 at 11:24 UTC
Re^5: Launch an exe using system by Corion (Patriarch) on Nov 14, 2011 at 11:34 UTC
Re^5: Launch an exe using system by GrandFather (Saint) on Nov 14, 2011 at 19:53 UTC
Re^3: Launch an exe using system by davido (Cardinal) on Nov 14, 2011 at 08:52 UTC
How would you handle that if you were typing `start .....` on the command line? There are some Windows utilities that don't play nice with spaces in the path names, and for those you usually have to use quoting. That being the case, you're not looking at a Perl problem, you're looking at a "I don't know how to use my operating system." problem. That's alright. But you should at least be aware where the issue is. Try this (untested, but ...at least try it... ;) `system( qq/start "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft LifeCam\\LifeCam.exe"/ );` [download] Dave	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^4: Launch an exe using system by GrandFather (Saint) on Nov 14, 2011 at 09:07 UTC
Re: Launch an exe using system by ansh batra (Friar) on Nov 14, 2011 at 08:19 UTC
It returned me an error what error? is it some secret???	[reply]