Shell - Get short file names for environment variable

Hello,

I have a batch file something like that:

@echo off
set SOMEIMPORTANTFILE=C:\Program Files\Some Directory With Spaces\file.dat
app1.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
app2.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
app3.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"

Now I also should add to call another application, which in no case supports
spaces in file names.

Is there a way similar to using %~s1 for converting %1 to a short file name?

Thanks!
Max

"Markus Eßmayr" <essmayr/at/racon-linz.at> wrote in message
news:el4kPmpXIHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Hello,
>
> I have a batch file something like that:
>
> @echo off
> set SOMEIMPORTANTFILE=C:\Program Files\Some Directory With Spaces\file.dat
> app1.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
> app2.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
> app3.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
>
> Now I also should add to call another application, which in no case
> supports spaces in file names.
>
> Is there a way similar to using %~s1 for converting %1 to a short file
> name?
>
> Thanks!
> Max
>

You could use this little batch file:
@echo off
set SomeImportantFolder=c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
pushd "%SomeImportantFolder%"
echo Q > "%temp%\debug.scr%"
debug < "%temp%\debug.scr%" > nul
set wd=%cd%
echo The 8.3 path is %wd%
popd

Thanks very much for you fast answer!
Could you please explain, what you are doing here?

Thanks!


"Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:u%23DYLxpXIHA.5132@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
> "Markus Eßmayr" <essmayr/at/racon-linz.at> wrote in message
> news:el4kPmpXIHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have a batch file something like that:
>>
>> @echo off
>> set SOMEIMPORTANTFILE=C:\Program Files\Some Directory With
>> Spaces\file.dat
>> app1.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
>> app2.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
>> app3.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
>>
>> Now I also should add to call another application, which in no case
>> supports spaces in file names.
>>
>> Is there a way similar to using %~s1 for converting %1 to a short file
>> name?
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Max
>>
>
> You could use this little batch file:
> @echo off
> set SomeImportantFolder=c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
> pushd "%SomeImportantFolder%"
> echo Q > "%temp%\debug.scr%"
> debug < "%temp%\debug.scr%" > nul
> set wd=%cd%
> echo The 8.3 path is %wd%
> popd
>

I thought you might ask . . .

*** pushd "%SomeImportantFolder%"
This is a combined drive & directory change command
that remembers to original drive & directory.

*** echo Q > "%temp%\debug.scr%"
This writes the letter Q (for Quit) into a script file which
I will use in the next command.

*** debug < "%temp%\debug.scr%" > nul
This launches debug.exe for a very brief session. The
sneaky part is that debug.exe is in essence a 16-bit
program. When you launch a 16-bit program then
your current folder name reverts to the 8.3 format.
Any 16-bit application will do.

*** set wd=%cd%
This picks up the current folder name which is now in
8.3 format.

*** popd
This returns you to the original folder.


"Markus Eßmayr" <essmayr/at/racon-linz.at> wrote in message
news:%23Z9AO5pXIHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Thanks very much for you fast answer!
> Could you please explain, what you are doing here?
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:u%23DYLxpXIHA.5132@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>
>> "Markus Eßmayr" <essmayr/at/racon-linz.at> wrote in message
>> news:el4kPmpXIHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I have a batch file something like that:
>>>
>>> @echo off
>>> set SOMEIMPORTANTFILE=C:\Program Files\Some Directory With
>>> Spaces\file.dat
>>> app1.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
>>> app2.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
>>> app3.exe "%SOMEIMPORTANTFILE%"
>>>
>>> Now I also should add to call another application, which in no case
>>> supports spaces in file names.
>>>
>>> Is there a way similar to using %~s1 for converting %1 to a short file
>>> name?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>> Max
>>>
>>
>> You could use this little batch file:
>> @echo off
>> set SomeImportantFolder=c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
>> pushd "%SomeImportantFolder%"
>> echo Q > "%temp%\debug.scr%"
>> debug < "%temp%\debug.scr%" > nul
>> set wd=%cd%
>> echo The 8.3 path is %wd%
>> popd
>>
>
>