invalid path when running a batch command

Question

I have a batch script which is enabling a lot of auditing. the folder from where i am running this script is placed on my desktop where the username that is logged in is "Doctor A" (the path from where the command is running from is c:\user\Doctor a\Desktop\script\test.bat).

And after running som batch commands I am trying to launch a PowerShell script with the following line:

powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass "%~dp0\Audit_folders_and_regkeys.ps1"

When I run this command I get an error saying

The term 'C:\Users\Doctor' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function,
script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path
was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.
At line:1 char:16
+ C:\Users\Doctor <<<<  A\Desktop\CyperPilot_Audit_Conf_External_Network\CyperPilot_Audit_Conf_External_Network\\Audit_folders_and_regkeys.ps1
     + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (C:\Users\Doctor:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
     + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

It seems like it wont go further than C:\Users\Doctor what do I write in my batch file to fix this?

Answer 1

When you run PowerShell the way you do (which is basically the same as using the parameter -Command) the content of the double quoted string is interpreted as a PowerShell statement (or a list of PowerShell statements). What happens is basically this:

1. You enter the command:

   powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass "%~dp0\Audit_folders_and_regkeys.ps1"
   

2. CMD expands the positional parameter %~dp0:

   powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass "c:\user\Doctor a\Desktop\script\Audit_folders_and_regkeys.ps1"
   

3. CMD launches powershell.exe and passes the the command string to it (note the removed double quotes):

   c:\user\Doctor a\Desktop\script\Audit_folders_and_regkeys.ps1
   

4. PowerShell sees the statement without the double quotes and tries to execute the (non-existent) command c:\user\Doctor with the argument a\Desktop\script\Audit_folders_and_regkeys.ps1.

The best way to deal with this issue is to use the parameter -File, as @PetSerAl suggested in the comments:

powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "%~dp0\Audit_folders_and_regkeys.ps1"

Otherwise you'll have to put nested quotes in the command string to compensate for the ones that are removed in passing the argument:

powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass "& '%~dp0\Audit_folders_and_regkeys.ps1'"

Note that in that case you also need to use the call operator (&), otherwise PowerShell would simply echo the path string.