Windows paths and slashes (was Re: Syntax Error)

[Kenneth Brody]

On 7/14/2014 4:32 PM, Jay Ashworth wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Kenneth Brody" <kenbrody at spamcop.net>
>
>> FYI - Depending on how you are going to use the filename (eg: if the
>> filename is going to be used within filePro, and not passed to a
>> SYSTEM command), you might be able to use forward slashes.
>
> I had thought, Ken, that the *API* would accept either separator, and
> it was COMMAND.COM that required you to specify; shouldn't a forward
> slash Just Work?

Yes, the Windows (and MS-DOS) API supports both slashes for filenames.  Yes, 
command.com (and cmd.exe) do not allow forward slashes for filenames, as 
they both use that character for command line flags.

Other programs may or may not support them, depending on their command line 
handling.  For example, "notepad" allows it:

     notepad /temp/debug.txt

But Dependency Walker does not:

     depends /temp/dclerk.exe

gives:

     Unknown option "/t".

-- 
Kenneth Brody