[windows] Why does CreateProcess give error 193 (%1 is not a valid Win32 app)

The code below fails to start documents. I get error 193 (%1 is not a valid Win32 app). Starting executables work fine. The files are properly associated, they start the corresponding app when double clicked. I have searched SO and elsewhere for the error message, createprocess stuff etc. (E.g. Why is CreateProcess failing in Windows Server 2003 64-bit? I know about quoting the command line.

• This is a Delphi XE2 (Update 4) Win32 app in a Win7 64bit VMWare VM.

• The code also fails on the host machine (Win7 64 bit) and in a Virtual PC VM with 32bit XP.

• The apps that should start in the Win7 VM (Excel 2003 and Crimson Editor) are 32 bit.

• The failure occurs both when starting from the IDE or when running the test app standalone

• It used to be Delphi2007 code, the compiled D2007 app where this code comes from works fine everywhere.

What's wrong with the code? It's almost as if I'm overlooking something very obvious....

Thanks in advance,

Jan

procedure StartProcess(WorkDir, Filename: string; Arguments : string = '');
var
  StartupInfo  : TStartupInfo;
  ProcessInfo  : TProcessInformation;
  lCmd         : string;
  lOK          : Boolean;
  LastErrorCode: Integer;
begin
  FillChar( StartupInfo, SizeOf( TStartupInfo ), 0 );
  StartupInfo.cb := SizeOf( TStartupInfo );
  StartupInfo.dwFlags := STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
  StartupInfo.wShowWindow := sw_Normal;

  FillChar( ProcessInfo, SizeOf( TProcessInformation ), 0 );

  lCmd := '"' +  WorkDir + FileName + '"';     // Quotes are needed https://stackoverflow.com/questions/265650/paths-and-createprocess
  if Arguments <> '' then lCmd := lCmd + ' ' + Arguments;

  lOk := CreateProcess(nil,
                       PChar(lCmd),
                       nil,
                       nil,
                       FALSE,  // TRUE makes no difference
                       0,      // e.g. CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE or NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS makes no difference
                       nil,
                       nil,    // PChar(WorkDir) makes no difference
                       StartupInfo,
                       ProcessInfo);

  if lOk then
  begin
    try
      WaitForSingleObject(ProcessInfo.hProcess, INFINITE);
    finally
      CloseHandle( ProcessInfo.hThread );
      CloseHandle( ProcessInfo.hProcess );
    end;
  end
  else
  begin
    LastErrorCode := GetLastError;
    ShowMessage(IntToStr(LastErrorCode) + ': ' + SysErrorMessage(LastErrorCode));
  end;
end;

procedure TFrmStartProcess.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
   StartProcess('c:\program files (x86)\axe3\','axe.exe');    // Works
end;

procedure TFrmStartProcess.Button2Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
   StartProcess('d:\','klad.xls');                            // Fails
end;

procedure TFrmStartProcess.Button3Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
   StartProcess('d:\','smimime.txt');                         // Fails
end;

Your Button2Click and Button3Click functions pass klad.xls and smimime.txt. These files most likely aren't actual executables indeed.

In order to open arbitrary files using the application associated with them, use ShellExecute

Let me add an example here:

I'm trying to build Alluxio on windows platform and got the same issue, it's because the pom.xml contains below step:

      <plugin>
        <artifactId>exec-maven-plugin</artifactId>
        <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
        <inherited>false</inherited>
        <executions>
          <execution>
            <id>Check that there are no Windows line endings</id>
            <phase>compile</phase>
            <goals>
              <goal>exec</goal>
            </goals>
            <configuration>
              <executable>${build.path}/style/check_no_windows_line_endings.sh</executable>
            </configuration>
          </execution>
        </executions>
      </plugin>

The .sh file is not executable on windows so the error throws.

Comment it out if you do want build Alluxio on windows.

If you are Clion/anyOtherJetBrainsIDE user, and yourFile.exe cause this problem, just delete it and let the app create and link it with libs from a scratch. It helps.