START *command

[vefatica]

With this alias

v:\> alias dir
*dir /a /p /m /k /h /ne

I can "START DIR" and I get a new console in which the alias is executed.

"*dir" works in the current instance to give the built-in DIR command.

But if I try to START "*DIR", I get an error I don't understand.

v:\> start *dir
TCC: (Sys) The system cannot find the file specified.
 "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\*DIR.EXE"

What's going on there?

 

[rconn]

START thinks you're looking for an executable name ending in "DIR".

 

[vefatica]

START thinks you're looking for an executable name ending in "DIR".

Why does it focus on C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\?

 

[vefatica]

START thinks you're looking for an executable name ending in "DIR".

It seems odd that START would use wildcards. START's help doesn't mention it. And it doesn't work even if a matching file exists.

v:\> start *pconfig
TCC: (Sys) The system cannot find the file specified.
 "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\*PCONFIG.EXE"

 

[rconn]

Why does it focus on C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\?

Go to that directory and do a "dir *dir".

 

[vefatica]

Go to that directory and do a "dir *dir".

Already did that ... so it's finding redir.exe. If it means to use wildcards (bad idea), why doesn't it execute redir.exe?