How to escape command line arguments on PowerShell?

Question

It appears that I can escape command line arguments using single or double quotes:

PS C:\> echo Hello World
Hello
World
PS C:\> echo 'Hello World'
Hello World
PS C:\> echo "Hello World"
Hello World

But there's still something I can't figure out, which is when you wish to run an executable from a directory that contains a space in it:

PS C:\> c:\program files\test.exe
The term 'c:\program' is not recognized as a cmdlet, function, operable program, or script file. Verify the term and try again.
At line:1 char:11
+ c:\program  <<<< files\test.exe
PS C:\> 'c:\program files\test.exe'
c:\program files\test.exe
PS C:\> "c:\program files\test.exe"
c:\program files\test.exe
PS C:\>

How do I get PowerShell to run the executable above?

rkeithhill.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/…

chtenb
– chtenb

2020-12-10 11:58:10 +00:00
Commented Dec 10, 2020 at 11:58 — chtenb
– chtenb, Commented Dec 10, 2020 at 11:58

Dan Solovay · Accepted Answer · 2016-10-13 14:27:32Z

20

Try putting an ampersand before the command. For example

& 'C:\Program Files\winscp\winscp.exe'

edited Oct 13, 2016 at 14:27

Dan Solovay

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answered Jan 14, 2009 at 15:38

Rad

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1 Comment

Nathan Hartley Over a year ago

This is the more correct answer as it simply tells the parser to interpret the next token in command mode, though it looks like a string.

Peter Mortensen · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-16 23:14:09Z

11

Use this:

. "c:\program files\test.exe"

Actually an even better solution would be:

Invoke-Item "c:\program files\test.exe"

or using the alias:

ii "c:\program files\test.exe"

Using Invoke-Item means that the proper Windows file handler would be used. So for an EXE file it would run it. For a .doc file for instance, it would open it in Microsoft Word.

Here is one of the handiest PowerShell command lines around. Give it a try:

ii .

edited Sep 16, 2018 at 23:14

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jan 14, 2009 at 15:36

EBGreen

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3 Comments

Peter Mortensen Over a year ago

Invoke-Item is evil.

EBGreen Over a year ago

Invoke-Expression certainly has security concerns associated with it's use but I'm not aware of issues with Invoke-Item. Could you elaborate?

Bacon Bits Over a year ago

You probably want to use & instead of . if you're trying to call an executable. The . call operator is really intended for including other PowerShell scripts in the current context. See Get-Help about_Operators.

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