7

The task is to launch a program using wmic process call create "c:\folder\app.exe" and have app.exe access it's own support files in the app.exe home folder tree.

The batch script below illustrates the problem with WMIC silently changing the working directory, so that the support files cannot be found.

This script creates a second batch file called one.bat that simply types a url.txt file from the same folder, to display www.google.com on the console.

When using wmic to create the process, wmic silently changes the working directory so that one.bat is not found and if I specify the full path as d:\abc\one.bat then one.bat will launch but it can't find the file to be typed called url.txt in it's own folder.

If I copy the WMIC.EXE file to the same folder, it fails in the same way.

@echo off
set "folder=d:\abc"
cd /d "%folder%"

(
echo.@echo off
echo.type url.txt
echo.pause
)>one.bat

(
echo.@echo off
echo.www.google.com
)>url.txt

echo this will work to launch the one.bat but the working directory is wrong and the file can't be found
wmic process call create "%folder%\one.bat"
pause

echo this will not launch one.bat because it can't be found
wmic process call create one.bat
pause

echo this will not launch one.bat as the working directory is changed
copy "%windir%\system32\wbem\wmic.exe" .
.\wmic process call create one.bat
pause

Does anyone know of a WMIC switch that will set the working directory for this command?

foxidrive
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1 Answers1

12

Run 

wmic process call create /?

to get the information on why this

wmic process call create "c:\folder\app.exe","c:\folder"

should work

MC ND
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  • Thank you MC ND as your suggestion works fine. I tried `wmic process call create /?` and I can't follow the help on that screen. There is not one comma on it. :) – foxidrive Jul 09 '14 at 16:22
  • @foxidrive, sorry, you are right. I forget to mention it. My fault. Fortunately `wmic` is kind enough to suggest the correct syntax when the wrong one is used. – MC ND Jul 09 '14 at 16:30
  • Ahh, thanks. That's useful. EDIT: I tried several invalid commands and I couldn't get any help with the syntax. Can you copy the command you used to get the help? That could be useful knowledge to get WMIC to help me in future. – foxidrive Jul 09 '14 at 16:42
  • @foxidrive, i just tried `wmic call create "calc.exe" "c:\"` to get (sorry, spanish windows locale) `Sugerencia: = [, ]` – MC ND Jul 09 '14 at 16:48
  • detecting if run from git bash, then relaunching CMD batch script with current directory, if "x%PS1%x" neq "xx" ( wmic process call create "C:\path\build_driver.bat","%cd%" GOTO END ) – Kevin Aug 10 '21 at 21:55