Batch File with Parentheses Cannot Be Started

View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q217127

Expand all | Collapse all

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start a batch file from the desktop, it fails without an error message.

Back to the top

The batch file has parentheses in its file name. Parentheses are allowed characters in filenames, but, if you use this for a batch file, the parentheses are parsed as command-line syntax. For additional information, click Start, click Help, click Windows NT Commands, and then click What’s New or Different from MS-DOS. There you will find parentheses as a command for "Groups commands."

Back to the top

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, run the batch file from a command shell and use quotation marks to encapsulate the name.

Output when no quotation marks are used:

D:\>Copy (2) of Example.bat
The system cannot find the file specified.

Output when quotation marks are used:

D:\>"Copy (2) of Example.bat"

D:\>pause
Press any key to continue . . .

Back to the top