How to deal with spaces in path using boost::process::child?

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

I need to execute a Windows Batch script. By company policy, I have to use boost::process::childfor that matter. The path to the Windows Batch script contains whitespaces (e.g. C:\Foo Bar\batch.bat).

I am using the following code:

namespace bp = boost::process;
error_code errorCode;
bp::ipstream errorStream;
auto child = bp::child("C:\\Foo Bar\\batch.bat",
    errorCode,
    bp::std_out > bp::null,    // ignore standard output
    bp::std_err > errorStream, // capture standard error
    bp::windows::hide,        // hide window
    bp::shell);               // use shell

  vector errorData;
  string errorLine;

  while (child.running() && getline(errorStream, errorLine) && !errorLine.empty())
  {
    errorData.push_back(errorLine);
  }
  child.wait();

The issue is that the system (boost::process) does not found the path. A error message would look like:

'C:\Foo' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

I also have tried the following masking variants:

• C:\\Foo Bar\\batch.bat
• C:\\Foo\ Bar\\batch.bat
• "C:\\Foo Bar\\batch.bat"
• C:\\Foo~1\\batch.bat

How to mask the whitespace correctly, so child() can find/execute the Batch script correctly?

manpreet 2 years ago

Wrap "C:\\Foo Bar\\batch.bat" into boost::filesystem::path(), so that it quotes the string for you:

com/tag/auto">auto child = bp::child(boost::filesystem::path("C:\\Foo Bar\\batch.bat"),