The cm_ExecuteDOS command does not work when the %ComSpec% value is changed

[sergiokapone]

I changed the %ComSpec% system variable to new value of d:\Programs\Utility\WindowsTerminal\wt.ext cmd.exe to open Windows Terminal, and Total Commander gave an error when calling cm_ExecuteDOS:

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[Window Title]
d:\Programs\Utility\WindowsTerminal\wt.exe cmd.exe

[Content]
Cannot find "d:\Programs\Utility\WindowsTerminal\wt.exe cmd.exe". Check if the name is correct and try again.

[ОК]

I don't understand why in this case TC can't just run wt.exe cmd.exe. What prevents it from doing so?


I can note that if TC explicitly (on the button) starts a console application (.exe) or .cmd/.bat file, the Windows Terminal is invoked quite normally.

[Dalai]

Well, apparently you expect a full command to work in that variable. %ComSpec% points to a simple executable by default, and honestly I don't know of any environment variable containing a full command, certainly not in stock Windows systems.

You can use a workaround and let %ComSpec% point to a batch file that contains your command, e.g. wt_cmd.cmd containing

Code: Select all

@d:\Programs\Utility\WindowsTerminal\wt.ext cmd.exe

or something similar.

[sergiokapone]

At least the button on the panel fires normally and starts the command wt.exe cmd /k

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TOTALCMD#BAR#DATA
%ComSpec% /k

imageres.dll


0
-1

That is, %ComSpec% can contain a command with a parameter. Maybe the problem is related to the implementation of cm_ExecuteDOS in TC.

[sergiokapone]

I know that in the new Win10 and Win11 updates you can select the default terminal. Unfortunately, in my version it is not possible. But I wonder, if I choose the default WT, will there also be an error in executing cm_ExecuteDOS, or is everything normal there?

[Dalai]

It's likely that TC checks if the executable pointed to by %ComSpec% exists. And that fails for a full command. Ghisler can probably explain it in more detail how it's implemented and why it is the way it is.

[white]

I know that in the new Win10 and Win11 updates you can select the default terminal. Unfortunately, in my version it is not possible. But I wonder, if I choose the default WT, will there also be an error in executing cm_ExecuteDOS, or is everything normal there?

Normal of course, because then %ComSpec% is not changed.

%ComSpec% shouldn't contain parameters. It's only meant to locate the command line interpreter. So the error is normal.

[ghisler(Author)]

TC calls ShellExecuteExW with the command. However, since there is a space in the command, it puts it in double quotes to avoid ambiguities, so the program cannot be found.

Try setting comspec to:
"d:\Programs\Utility\WindowsTerminal\wt.exe" cmd.exe

Then Total Commander doesn't add its own double quotes.