Launching Multiple Programs From A Command Prompt Script

[WorldNet User]

I would like to launch multiple programs from a command prompt script (in
Windows XP Home Edition). For example, I have three instant messenger
programs and want to launch them all from a script called im.bat.

So I put the following three lines into IM.bat, but launching it this way,
the script will not execute the second line until the first program is
closed.

"C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe"
"C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YPager.exe"
"C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe"

I tried putting start at the beginning of each line, but with that variant,
none of the three programs executed.

What needs to be done to fix this script?

 

[Jerry]

Why not just run MSCONFIG and put those items in the Startup folder?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I do not have any of these programs. It worked with three I do have.
Try this.............

start "" "C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe"
start "" "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YPager.exe"
start "" "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe"

 

[WorldNet User]

Yes, that worked. Thanks. The trick seemed to be to add the extra sets of
quotes "" before the quotes containing the actual executable name, and I am
curious to know why those extra ones make it work. When I did not have
those extra quotes, it did not work.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Have a look at these...

Using the Start Command in XP
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1635716,00.asp

Effects of Using the START Command at a Command Prompt
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=200469

START Command
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/start.mspx

 

[WorldNet User]

Yes, the article in PC magazine directly addressed this issue. It turns out
that the first pair of quotes ( with nothing inside, in my case ) is
required as the first parameter, which can be used to specify the title for
the corresponding window, if you want a title.