execute an exe without knowing full path - batch-file

Question

I need to start an application by the name of Acad.exe without knowing its full path. this path is namly decide upon instalation by the person installing the app.
how can i achive this?

Answer 1

It is common for applications to store their install location in the registry, so the preferred way of finding them would be to look up the appropriate place in the registry. That way, you won't accidentally start a different program with the same file name.
Assuming acad.exe is AutoCAD, this page gives the locations you have to look up.

Answer 2

Try this in any language that has an interface to the OLE2 layer:
CreateDispatch("Autocad.Application")
In C++:
::CoInitializeEx(NULL);
::CreateDispatch("AutoCAD.Application");
With a batch script:
Save the following under the name `start_autocad.vbs
set objShell=CreateObject("Autocad.Application")
objShell.Visible = TRUE
run cscript start_autocad.vbs.

Answer 3

If this acad.exe installation follows the Windows convention, the installation process creates a special key in the registry :
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths
If acad.exe is defined there with required parameters then it's possible to start it from a batch file with this simple command :
START acad.exe
No need to specify the complete path, Windows will get it from the corresponding AppPath entry.

Answer 4

Assuming it is on the C: drive, you could do:
#echo off
c:
cd \
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('dir /s /b acad.exe') do set exeLcn=%%a
start %exeLcn%

Answer 5

Instead of inventing your own method, you just might reproduce the behavior of CMD.EXE, looking for ACAD.EXE in the %PATH%.
try this as an example to get you started...
:inpath
echo %~$PATH:1
echo %~dp$PATH:1
goto :eof
invoke it this way
call :inpath acad.exe