Question

I’m trying to pass command-line arguments to a C# application, but I have problem passing something like this

'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\App name' 

even if I add ' ' to the argument.

Here is my code:

    public ObjectModel(String[] args)     {         if (args.Length == 0) return; //no command line arg.         //System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show(args.Length.ToString());         //System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show(args[0]);         //System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show(args[1]);         //System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show(args[2]);         //System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show(args[3]);         if (args.Length == 3)         {             try             {                 RemoveInstalledFolder(args[0]);                 RemoveUserAccount(args[1]);                 RemoveShortCutFolder(args[2]);                 RemoveRegistryEntry();             }             catch (Exception e)             {             }         }         } 

And here is what I’m passing:

C:\WINDOWS\Uninstaller.exe  'C:\Program Files\Application name\'  'username'  'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\application name' 

The problem is I can get the first and the second args correctly, but the last one it gets as C:\Documents.

Any help?

Answer 1

I just ran a check and verified the problem. It surprised me, but it is the last \ in the first argument.

'C:\Program Files\Application name\' <== remove the last '\' 

This needs more explanation, does anybody have an idea? I’m inclined to call it a bug.

---

Part 2, I ran a few more tests and

'X:\\aa aa\\' 'X:\\aa aa\' next 

becomes

X:\\aa aa\ X:\\aa aa' next 

A little Google action gives some insight from a blog by Jon Galloway, the basic rules are:

• the backslash is the escape character
• always escape quotes
• only escape backslashes when they precede a quote.