How to execute any .exe by using a batch file?

Question

I know that I can start an exe by doing:

start "" /b filename.exe

But that requires me to know the name of filename.exe, how could I do that for any general file ending with .exe? I tried the obvious wildcard implementation:

start "" /b *.exe

Windows, however, gives me an error saying it cannot find "*.exe" file.

Executing one exe in a certain folder after it being extracted by a previous part of my script. (there will be only one exe in the folder, always) — ShizukaSM, Mar 31 '13 at 00:08

Guido Preite · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-31T10:35:39.400

13

if you plan to run inside a batch file you can do in this way:

for %%i in (*.exe) do start "" /b "%%i"

if you want to skip a particular file to be executed:

for %%i in (*.exe) do if not "%%~nxi" == "blabla.exe" start "" /b "%%i"

if is necessary to check also the subfolders add the /r parameter:

for /r %%i in (*.exe) do start "" /b "%%i"

edited Mar 31 '13 at 10:35

answered Mar 31 '13 at 00:23

Guido Preite

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Actually, your answer was the only one that worked, since the other ones received an error in a folder with spaces (e.g. Doccuments and settings), thanks! Do you know if there's any way to add an "except"?(something like `for /r %%i in (*.exe) do start "" /b "%%i" except blabla.exe`) – ShizukaSM Mar 31 '13 at 00:41
1

try in this way `for /r %%i in (*.exe) do if not "%%~nxi" == "blabla.exe" start "" /b "%%i"` – Guido Preite Mar 31 '13 at 00:59

Vassilis Barzokas · Answer 2 · 2016-10-25T14:52:08.627

4

From cmd run this to the folder that has all the exe you wish to run:

for %x in (*.exe) do ( start "" /b  "%x" )

edited Oct 25 '16 at 14:52

answered Mar 31 '13 at 00:20

Vassilis Barzokas

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score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 31 '13 at 00:19

2

Hoep it helps

for /f "delims=" %%a in ('dir /b /s "*.exe"') do (
    start %%a
)

You should first use dir command to find all exe files, and then execute it.

answered Mar 31 '13 at 00:19

Sheng

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 31 '13 at 00:32

0

In a bat file add this line

FOR /F "tokens=4" %%G IN ('dir /A-D /-C ^| find ".exe"') DO start "" /b %%G

This execute every .exe file in your current directory. same as

*.exe

would have done if * were supported on batch.

If you want to execute it directly from a command line window, just do

FOR /F "tokens=4" %G IN ('dir /A-D /-C ^| find ".exe"') DO start "" /b %G

answered Mar 31 '13 at 00:32

Michael

148
7

I'm getting a "Windows cannot find '167936', any ideas why? – ShizukaSM Mar 31 '13 at 00:36
it fails 1) in some date/time formats 2) if the file name has spaces – Endoro Mar 31 '13 at 03:05

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 31 '13 at 14:13

0

Don't blame their codes for space issue. You should know how to use double quotation marks.

for /f "delims=" %%a in ('dir /b /s *.exe') do (
    start "" "%%a"
)

answered Mar 31 '13 at 14:13

Batcher

167
1

I don't. And I still gave a +1 since it **half** worked. I just gave the best answer the selected one, I don't know why you are being so bitter about it. – ShizukaSM Mar 31 '13 at 14:19

How to execute any .exe by using a batch file?

5 Answers5