in CMD using Start to run another program, How do I pass along parameters to the called program?

Question

I want to call another program and return while it is running I can use this

start /MIN "Updating Local Utilities" UPutils ^&^& exit

and that works great.

But I want to pass arguments to the started instance.

These methods don't work:

rem pass along literal parameters
start /MIN "Updating Local Utilities" UPutils C:\source  c:\Target  ^&^& exit

rem pass along dynamic parameters
start /MIN "Updating Local Utilities" "UPutils %Source% %Target%"  ^&^& exit

but that is the idea of what I want.

My receiving program (UpUtils.bat) would simply use them as %1 and %2 arguments

Echo %1
Echo %2

Thanks

Answer 1

Ok. Sometimes ya just want to get it done!

Standing on the shoulders of giants (HERE)...

Most of this code is the direct result of questions answered right here in this forum! Thank you all for the knowledge you have passed on so willingly.

There are three files involved. The first batch file STARTs the other batch file. The third file is the storage place for the passed arguments. I still hope there is a way to more easily pass arguments with the START command, but sometimes...

PassArgs.bat --> RecArgs.bat Repository.ARGS

Here is the Passing Program:

@echo off
echo  ---- PassArgs.bat ----
 Echo Arg1 >  Repository.ARG
 
 Echo Arg2 >> Repository.ARG

 start "Passing Arguments" RecArgs ^&^& exit

 ((((echo Just waiting for...) & echo RecArgs ) & echo Oh look. It's done!.) & echo.)|MSG /time:5 *

 echo That's All Folks!
 echo.

And here is the receiving batch program:

@echo off
echo ---- RecArgs.bat ----
  cd /d "%~dp0" && setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

  for /f ^tokens^=*delims^= %%i in ('type Repository.ARGS')do set /a "_c+=1+0" && <con: set "Arg!_c!=%%~i"

  for /l %%l in (1 1 !_c!)do echo\Arg%%l=!Arg%%l!

  %__AppDir__%timeout.exe -1 & endlocal & goto=:EOF


  echo Arg1=%Arg1%
  echo Arg2=%Arg2%

  Echo  I got them!
  echo.

pause

The end result is arguments Arg1 and Arg2 passed to the STARTed program.

Arg1="Arg1"
Arg2="Arg2"

Answer 2

You can't pass arguments to a started instance of a program, now running a different start statement will create a new instance of the program with new arguments. AFAIK this is nearly impossible and Developer nightmare in a language like Batch to implement.