Q153163: Using MS-DOS Environment Variable as Command-Line Option

Article: Q153163
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): 95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): win95
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 use an MS-DOS environment variable (such as %VARIABLE%) as a
command-line option when you run a program (such as Notepad), you may receive
the following message:

  Cannot find the %VARIABLE%.txt file.

  Do you want to create a new file?

CAUSE
=====

Windows 95 interprets the environment variable as a file name because the
percent (%) character is a valid character in a long file name in Windows 95.

RESOLUTION
==========

To work around this behavior, use any of the following methods:

- Use the following method to start the program:

  1. Click the Start button, and then click Run.

  2. Type the following command in the Open box

  command.com /c <program.exe> %<variable>%

     where <program.exe> is the program you want to run and
     <variable> is the environment variable you want to use.

- Create an MS-DOS batch file that starts the program with the command- line
  variable set to the appropriate MS-DOS environment variable. Then, create a
  shortcut to the batch file and use the shortcut to start the program.

- Start an MS-DOS session and type the command at the command prompt.

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Keywords          : win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : 95

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