Run a batch file in a Windows system

[Stavros Kanarakis]

Hi all,

I want to be able to call a Windows batch file from my Java desktop application running at the same machine hosting the batch file.

I have the full pathname in a String named "batchFilePath" in a form C:\directory\batchfile.bat
However, when I am trying to call it, nothing happens.

I tried to change the single backslash to double backslash but nothing happens either.
Could anyone help please?

The code excerpt is below.

 
try {
   Runtime.getRuntime().exec(batchFilePath);
 } 
 catch (IOException ex) {
   Logger.getLogger(AutoMonitorView.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
}

Thanks
Steve

[Hunter McMillen]

Nothing happens, as in: nothing gets written to the log file? the program sits? can you run the batch file manually without error?

edit: Also I'm pretty sure that batch files by themselves aren't executable. They need something to run them. Try adding "cmd /c start" before the path to your batch file.


Hunter

[Stavros Kanarakis]

Thanks for replying.

I have managed to run the batch files from the Windows command prompt by issuing the following command.


>call "C:\directoryNameContainingSpaces\batchfileName.bat"

But when I tried to create this script and give it as argument to the exec method, the batch file did not run as it ran from the command prompt of Windows.
That is why I removed "call" from the String containing my pathname.

[Stavros Kanarakis]

Thanks for replying.

I have managed to run the batch files from the Windows command prompt by issuing the following command.


>call "C:\directoryNameContainingSpaces\batchfileName.bat"

But when I tried to create this script and give it as argument to the exec method, the batch file did not run as it ran from the command prompt of Windows.
That is why I removed "call" from the String containing my pathname.

[Stavros Kanarakis]

I just tried the

cmd \c call "C:\directoryNameContainingSpaces\batchFileName.bat"

from the Windows Run frame and it runs successfully.

However, it does not run from the Java application.

I even added a double backslash to the same command but no luck either.

[Hunter McMillen]

try start instead of call.

Hunter

[Campbell Ritchie]

Are you using Runtime.getRuntime().exec()? I presume if you are, you have read Michael Daconta's classic paper.

Anyway, this is too difficult a question for "beginning", so I shall move it.

[Stavros Kanarakis]

After a little google and experimentation the solution was to call

Runtime rt = Runtime.getRuntime();
rt.exec("cmd /C start call " + "\"" + pathNameVariable + "\"");

Thanks for your help.

[Campbell Ritchie]

Beware, beware. Don't use Runtime.exec() until you have read Daconta's article about it. There is a bit about it in the documentation for Process, but Daconta gives lots more details.

[Stavros Kanarakis]

Campbell Ritchie wrote:Beware, beware. Don't use Runtime.exec() until you have read Daconta's article about it. There is a bit about it in the documentation for Process, but Daconta gives lots more details.

Ok thanks, I will have a look.