Writing batch file to start 3 programs....

[QuadTails The Kitsun]

Hi guys. If you happen to be familiar with the pitstop forums, you might know me as "dmac2003". Anyways onto the real reason I posted this... I'm trying to write a batch file that will start 3 programs at once. My problem is, I just have extreme lack of programming skills. I've tried using this method, with no avail:

@echo off
start C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
start C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
start C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\Ypager.exe
cls

My OS is Windows XP Pro




I attempt to run the batch, and I get an error stating "Windows cannot find C:\Program" What exactly am I doing wrong?

[faulkner132]

Put quotes around the file names:

start "C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe"
start "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe"
start "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\Ypager.exe"

[doctorgonzo]

Put quotes around the file paths. Since there are spaces, Windows will be confuzzled without quotes.

start "C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe"

[QuadTails The Kitsun]

Erm...I'm not so sure how to explain this...





Code being used:

@echo off
start "C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe"
start "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe"
start "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\Ypager.exe"
cls

[doctorgonzo]

Are the programs actually being started?

Try leaving off the "start" command; just leave the file path.

[mairving]

Also leave off the echo off. This will allow you to see any error messages.

[QuadTails The Kitsun]

Alrighty, I've left both @echo off and start absent from the batch:

"C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe"
"C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe"
"C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\Ypager.exe"
cls


This is again, hard to explain. I'll start the batch, but only one program will run. Being AIM, while the command window stays open. If I close AIM, MSN loads up. But as you'd expect, I'll close MSN, and Yahoo Messenger will load. There's something probably really simple I'm not coding properly, right?


EDIT: And in response to doctorgonzo's message, no, the programs are not actually being started.

[bug_zs]

Check this out under "Launch Multiple Programs"

http://jeffwalso.tripod.com/batch.htm

Bugs

[faulkner132]

The Start command, by design, launches a new window. You should be able to just close it without effecting the programs you just launched.

[doctorgonzo]

Do the "start" thing again, but try doubling it:

start "C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe" "C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe"

According to the start command documentation, the first parameter is the title of the window, which is why you got those three black windows with the program names in the title in the first place. Doubling it may work to actually start the program.

[bug_zs]

Quad,

Another way to go:

http://www.outertech.com/index.php?_...e=product&id=1

Batchrun will let you create batch files using a graphical interface. In the good old
days of DOS .bat files took care of this task. They still do, but they're not exactly
user friendly. With Batchrun .brs batch files you can launch any number of programs
or dialup connections with just a simple click. You can control the starting process
with many properties like priority or run mode and control their behavior a tad. You
can even do more than starting programs with the built-in file management functions
like Copy, Rename, Makedir, Delete and End Process. Batchrun batch files can be
launched from Explorer or placed in StartUp folder or on the Desktop.

Feature List


Launch files of any filetype
Internal commands: Run, Copy, Rename, Makedir, Delete, DelTree, End
Process
Wildcard support for Copy, Delete and DelTree
Makedir nested dir creation
Drag and Drop between Explorer and Batchrun
Support for date and time tags
Save batch files directly to Startup and Desktop

Give it a shot. It's free, dude.

Bugs