How to execute .sh file on Windows?

Question

When I am trying to execute a file(name.sh) in the command line by the command ./name.sh , I am getting the error that:

"." is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable or batch file

please help me execute the .sh file

Answer 1

You're on Windows CMD.EXE (from the error message). It uses a different syntax to execute commands. You'll need to use sh name.sh, assuming that you've got Cygwin or similar installed.

To clarify, Windows does not have a built-in utility to support .sh files. To run such, you'll need to install a third-party tool such as Cygwin.

Answer 2

Windows doesn't natively run .sh. shell scripts. Have you installed something like CygWin, or are you just trying to run it natively in cmd.exe?

Answer 3

You are trying to run a Linux command at the Windows Command Prompt.

On Linux the forward slash is a path separater. On Windows the backslash is a path separator and the forward slash generally indicates an argument.

Therefore, Windows thinks you are trying to run a command called "." and parsing it the argument "/name.sh". The correct convention would be ".\name.sh". Additionally Windows will automatically search the current directory for your command so you could just type "name.sh".

The next problem you will face is that Windows does not know what a sh script is, again this is a Linux thing. You could solve this by installing Cygwin if you really want or need to run a sh script.

However, judging by one of your previous comments you could just as well rename the script to name.bat and delete the "#!/bin/sh" line. Now you have a Batch file which Windows should understand. You can read more about batch files here.

Answer 4

Alternatively you could turn to the dark side and install Linux. From the prompt:

sh runide.sh

or

sudo sh runide.sh

Your program will run and you will have a better system as well.

Answer 5

You're trying to run your car on orange juice instead of gasoline. Windows shares similar commands stored in .bat or .cmd files with Unix/Linux/zOS Unix Subsystem/*ix shell scripts as these two families of operating systems share a common ancestor the DEC PDP-x machines.

If you want instant gratification, you will need to install an environment that provides a "sh.exe" program or "csh.exe" or "bash.exe" program (tsh.exe anyone?)

Alternatively, if you know Unix script commands, very well, and you know Windows .cmd and .bat file commands, very well, you can translate the .sh file into a .bat or .cmd file. Even so, you will often encounter more Unix-styled programs that have no equivalent under Windows--grep, sed, vi, emacs, etc. Thus, the call to install CygWin (no minimalist)--just to get the shell and Unix tools. Put it on a flash-drive, for these special occasions.

Answer 6

Someone said something about MS-DOS using / for commands and \ for paths. This is slightly misleading. Look at my example:

C:\myfoo\foo\>cd../.. 
C:\myfoo\foo\>cd..\..

Has no difference in effect. Yes, it is not true for all operations – the actual answer is simply No, or without Cygwin or SSHD you can't.

I only know because I stupidly spent half a day trying to figure out what if then fi and eval, exec do with -Djava.something when called.

Answer 7

It's possible that the problem is actually within the file name.sh -- you are trying to use the . command but it is attempting to run a kind of shell (e.g., csh, I think) in which that's not a valid command.

So: does name.sh start with the correct #!/bin/sh (if you are actually trying to run sh)?

Answer 8

ok, there's a LOT wrong with that - drop the #!/bin/sh, and change the extention to bat, and it might work with a few more fixes. Then you can just invoke it by its filename as well.

The syntax of a unix shell script, and a windows batch file arn't too similar. cygwin, or a load of messing around with unxutils might make something that would work in both, but unless you're ABSOLUTELY sure the environment is always the same, it isn't worth the headache

Answer 9

If you have a Linux box in your home (or work) and plugged to the same network, and this network is safe, this might do the trick:

1. Make a folder share on Windows (pretty easy, but make sure the network is safe from intruders).
2. Mount it in Linux with mount //WinMachine/Share LinuxFolder (IIRC, and requires Samba).
3. Using something like PuTTY, log in remotely to that Linux box.
4. Run your command in the mounted folder.