From: george DOT hawkins AT pobox DOT com
Subject: Running `.com' and `.bat' files in bash?
16 Apr 1997 09:33:45 -0700
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Hi there,

When I try to run a `.com' file from the bash prompt it fails like so:

> bash$ /WINNT/system32/edit.com
> /WINNT/system32/edit.com: /WINNT/system32/edit.com: cannot execute binary file

Also when I try to run a `.bat' file it fails (for entirely different
reasons I presume) - I think because bash is treating it as a script
file and forks off a shell to interpret it resulting in lots of
complaints about non-understood NT command prompt builtins.

In fact it was my difficulty running `.bat' files, that I first
tried to run a `.com' file. I was wondering if `command.com' was
the equivalent of a unix shell to which I could pass the `.bat'
file for it to interpret.  (Sorry if I'm completely wrong there,
I've always worked on UNIX systems and never had very much interest
in PCs until my new job now).

I hope this isn't a really stupid question, have I set things up
wrong? The fact that these must be problems most people face at
some time or another if this is usual behavior and yet they don't
appear to be referenced in either the FAQ or the mail archives
suggests to me that I must be missing something.

Am I? Thanks for your help, yours,


George.

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