DOCUMENT:Q153163  17-DEC-2000  [win95x]
TITLE   :Using MS-DOS Environment Variable as Command-Line Option
PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
PROD/VER:95
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:win95

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Windows 95 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you use an MS-DOS environment variable (such as %VARIABLE%) as a
command-line option when you run a program (such as Notepad), you may receive
the following message:

   Cannot find the %VARIABLE%.txt file.

   Do you want to create a new file?

CAUSE
=====

Windows 95 interprets the environment variable as a file name because the
percent (%) character is a valid character in a long file name in Windows 95.

RESOLUTION
==========

To work around this behavior, use any of the following methods:

 - Use the following method to start the program:

   1. Click the Start button, and then click Run.

   2. Type the following command in the Open box

   command.com /c <program.exe> %<variable>%

      where <program.exe> is the program you want to run and
      <variable> is the environment variable you want to use.

 - Create an MS-DOS batch file that starts the program with the command- line
   variable set to the appropriate MS-DOS environment variable. Then, create a
   shortcut to the batch file and use the shortcut to start the program.

 - Start an MS-DOS session and type the command at the command prompt.

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Keywords          : win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : 95

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