how to execute an exe with variable value for path and arguments

Question

I'm trying to execute in my powershell script the command below :

D:\Apps\Documentum\product\7.3\bin\idql.exe -udmadmin -pPassword dctm04 -RC:\temp\documentum\session_list.txt -w20 > C:\temp\documentum\session_logstash.txt

In my powershell script I do that:

$DOCBASE="dctm04"
$USER_DOCBASE="dmadmin"
$USER_PWD="Password01"
$IDQL_PATH="D:\Apps\Documentum\product\7.3\bin"
$QRY_SESSIONS="C:\temp\documentum\session_list.txt"
$QRY_LOG_SESSIONS="C:\temp\documentum\session_logstash.txt"

$IDQL_PATH\idql.exe -u$USER_DOCBASE -p$USER_PWD $DOCBASE -R$QRY_SESSIONS -w20 > $QRY_LOG_SESSIONS

But it doesn't work properly, I receive the error below :

At C:\temp\documentum\Generate.ps1:49 char:13
+   $IDQL_PATH\idql.exe -u$USER_DOCBASE -p$USER_PWD $DOCBASE -R$QRY_SESSIONS -w20  ...
+             ~~~~~~~~~
Unexpected token '\idql.exe' in expression or statement.
    + CategoryInfo          : ParserError: (:) [], ParseException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnexpectedToken

I think, i don't use variable properly on my command.

Please note my powershell version is :

PS C:\temp\documentum> $PSVersionTable.PSVersion

Major  Minor  Build  Revision
-----  -----  -----  --------
4      0      -1     -1

could you give me the solution in order to solve my problem

Please edit the question and add more details. What, exactly, does " it doesn't work properly" mean? Nothing happens? An error message appears? Wrong results? — vonPryz
– vonPryz, Commented Aug 3, 2018 at 11:24
How does it not work properly? What error messages are you getting? What version of PowerShell are you using? Are you using the ISE, or the console? Are you running as Administrator, or as an ordinary user? There's a whole host of information you need to provide before we can be of any help to you... — Jeff Zeitlin
– Jeff Zeitlin, Commented Aug 3, 2018 at 11:24
What about using Join-Path and/or Test-Path to assure the file exists? — user6811411
– user6811411, Commented Aug 3, 2018 at 12:09

vonPryz · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-03 12:16:43Z

23

The reason is that combining a string to executable name makes no sense to Powershell's parsing rules. Use the call operator & or Invoke-Item. Like so,

$ssms="C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\140\Tools\Binn\ManagementStudio"
PS C:\> $ssms\ssms.exe
At line:1 char:6
+ $ssms\ssms.exe
+      ~~~~~~~~~
Unexpected token '\ssms.exe' in expression or statement.
    + CategoryInfo          : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnexpectedToken

C:\>& $ssms\ssms.exe
# Launches SSMS succesfully

C:\>Invoke-Item $ssms\ssms.exe
# Launches SSMS succesfully

There's nice a document about running executables.

answered Aug 3, 2018 at 12:16

vonPryz

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