How to run program from another folder in command prompt

Question

I'm in E:\blah\blah but I need to run an .exe from E:\folder name\prgm.exe

However, I am trying to call this without having to do cd ..

I read that just typing E:\folder name\prgm.exe should work. However when I try this I get an error:

E:\folder is not recognized as an external or internal command.

I'm running Windows 7 if that helps.

Answer 1

E:\folder name\prgm.exe works if the folder name has no space in it.

Either:

1. Rename the folder so it has no space.
2. Use quotes. (e.g. "E:\folder name\prgm.exe")
3. Or add E:\folder name to the path.

Use option 3) if it is an often used program.
Use option 2) for single or rare invokations.

Answer 2

The reason that you get the error

E:\folder is not recognized as an external or internal command.

is because the system thinks that your folder name is "folder" since what is after the space would be a place to put a flag such as -t or -l . Whenever you have a space in the name of a file or a folder (not really a good practice, you can use a - or an _ to separate words in the name) you should use double quotation marks around the entire name, this includes the filename and its extension. If there is a flag or an option to the command it would have to be outside of the quotation marks example, from you blah blah folder

E:\blah\blah>"E:\folder name\prgm.exe" -t -l 1000

Answer 3

Just for completeness' sake, I would like to note that in addition to Hennes' answer, there is a fourth option, though in fact you might find it too similar to cd:

Enter pushd E:\folder name and your working directory changes to the specified drive and folder (no quotes required) in one easy step; returning to the previous working directory is a no-brainer as well with a simple popd…