system start command not working in XP

Question

I'm trying to run a script that calls child processes on Windows XP. It was originally designed in Windows 7. Everything seems to work save the spawn:

I run a command

system "start", "cmd.exe", "/k","C:/path/perl.exe","C:/users/script.pl";

in Windows 7, and it spawns script.pl into a new console.

The same command in XP tells me that it can't find start.

When I run

system "cmd.exe", "/k","C:/path/perl.exe","C:/users/script.pl";

It doesn't open a new console.

How do I spawn a new process in a new console in XP?

Answer 1

I can't remember a thing about XP, but on W7 start is provided by cmd.exe and isn't a separate executable. So I'm surprised to see it first in the list of parameters.

I think the original author screwed it up badly so that cmd.exe is run implicitly to do the start, which then runs a second copy of cmd.exe which runs perl.

In the end, I assume you want to run the Perl program and wait until it completes, so you need

system qw{ cmd.exe /K C:/path/perl.exe C:/users/script.pl }

I also think the /K should be /C, as the former asks for another prompt from the shell once the command exits, whereas the latter just runs the command and stops.

Check your mileage.

Oh, and you can't use qw as I have if there are spaces in the paths.