Q134521: Run Command on Start Menu Does Not Accept Redirection or Pipes

Article: Q134521
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you type a command that contains the pipe symbol (|) or the redirection
symbols (< or > or >>) in the Open box of the Run command, the
command is not carried out. For example, if you type the following line

  " MEM | MORE " (without the quotation marks)

you receive the following error message:

  Parse error 4

CAUSE
=====

Pipes and redirections are handled by Command.com and not by the Run command on
the Start menu. If you type a pipe or redirection symbol in the Open box of the
Run command, the symbol is given to the program as a command-line parameter.

In the example above, the MEM program is given a command line of "| more" and
encounters the parse error because "| more" is not a valid switch.

WORKAROUND
==========

To pass pipes and redirections to a program, invoke Command.com explicitly by
typing a line such as the following:

  " COMMAND.COM /c MEM | MORE " (without the quotation marks)

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3

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