Set a path variable with spaces in the path in a Windows cmd file or batch file

Question

I m new to script writing and can t get this one to work   I could if I moved the files to a path without a space in it  but I d like it to work with the space if it could     I want to extract a bunch of Office updates to a folder with a  cmd file   To make the batch file usable on any computer  I set a path variable which I only have to change in one place to run it on another machine   The problem is that the path has a space in it   If I put quotes around the path in the definition  cmd exe puts them around the path before it appends the filename and switches and the batch fails with  Command line syntax error    Without quotes  it fails with   is not recognized as an internal or external command  operable program  or batch file    For testing  I m using the help switch until or if I can get it working   I can do it using an 8 3 file folder name  e g  My Documents as MyDocu 1   but can it be done a different way

User · Answer

I always place the path in double quotes when I am creating a .bat file. (I just added the PAUSE so it wont close the screen.)

For example:

"C:\Program Files\PageTech\PCLReader64_131\PCLReader64.exe"
PAUSE

User · Answer

also just try adding double slashes like this works for me only  set dir  C   1  Some Folder  Some Other Folder  Just Because    echo on MKDIR  dir   OMG after posting they removed the second   in my post so if you open my comment and it shows three you should read them as two

User · Answer

There are two options here  First  you can store the path unquoted and just quote it later   set MyPath C  Program Files Foo   MyPath  foo with spaces exe  something   Another option you could use is a subroutine which alles for un-quoting strings  but in this case it s actually not a very good idea since you re adding quotes  stripping them away and re-adding them again without benefit    set MyPath  C  Program Files Foo  call  foo  MyPath  goto  eof   foo    1 foo exe  goto  eof   The   1 removes quotation marks around the argument  This comes in handy when passing folder names around quoted but  as said before  in this particular case it s not the best idea  -

User · Answer

Try something like this   SET MY PATH C  Folder with a space    MY PATH  MyProgram exe   switch1  switch2

User · Answer

If you need to store permanent path  path is not changed when cmd is restart    Run the Command Prompt as administrator  Right click on cmd exe and select run as administrator  In cmd    setx path   path  your new path     then enter Check whether the path is taken correctly by typing path and pressing enter

User · Answer

The proper way to do this is like so    ECHO off SET MY PATH M  Dir   With Spaces Sub Folder   Dir Folder    calls M  Dir With Spaces Sub Folder Dir Folder hello bat CALL   MY PATH  hello bat  pause

User · Answer

I use  set  VAR NAME  lt String With Spaces gt     when updating path   set  PATH  UTIL DIR   PATH

User · Answer

Try this    create a variable as below  SET  SolutionDir C  Test projects Automation tests bin Debug     Then replace the path with variable  Make sure to add quotes for starts and end  vstest console exe   SolutionDir  Automation Specs dll

User · Answer

The easiest way to fix this problem is to put the folder name in quotes    cd New Folder      -- gt   cd  New Folder        Hopes this helps

[batch-file] Set a path variable with spaces in the path in a Windows .cmd file or batch file

Examples related to batch-file

Examples related to path

Examples related to variables

Examples related to cmd

Examples related to space