"system cannot find the path specified" trying to run a .cmd from DOS

LoganTherrion said:

I have checked the properties actually. They are neither hidden nor read only, and it's not blocked or anything. I have full control to the files and the directory they're in.

I got the same properties whether it was renamed to .txt or as a .jar. The .jar is 2.3M in size, and has no special permissions. And the properties are the same for each file.

LoganTherrion said:

I tried your suggestion and did a dir /ah someFile.cmd and dir /ah someFile.jar, and in both instances I got "File Not Found".

If I rename either to .txt and do dir /ah someFile.<extension>, then I get expected output.

And yet you asked the dir command to only show you hidden files.

Ha! How embarrassing. My intellectual and command line prowess is scaring even me. :) Let me try that again.

dir /a someFile.jar: returns expected results (file size, name)
dir /a someFile.cmd: returns expected results (file size, name)

I'm checking out for the day soon but I will reboot again tomorrow morning. I agree - this is very strange. I've never seen behavior quite like this before.

Process Monitor might give a clue if you can compare the results with a working computer or perhaps another user profile on the same computer.

LoganTherrion said:

When my code runs, if the .jar file isn't there (renamed, removed, et al), the .cmd file can execute without the "system cannot find the path specified" error,BUT I do get an error that reads, "Didn't find drive:\folder\someFile.jar in directory drive:\folder.".

The output of the .cmd script clearly changes upon altering a file it reads/uses, and that's a clear indication that the script is indeed alive and running. It's more presumable that the error message, "system cannot find the path specified", is being thrown by the script itself, and not from the command interpreter.

Logan, have you considered creating and running a .cmd file that will Echo something like "Hello World"? Check if that works.

MilesAhead said:

if none of the paths are dot '.' then it will not search the current directory unless it happens to be explicitly listed.

Rubbish.

I found the problem, though the behavior I've seen doesn't really seem like the cause would result in the types of errors I was seeing. Regardless, it looks like the JAVA_HOME was - unbeknownst to me, being reset in a batch file. So the java.exe could never be found. I fixed this problem and all works as expected now.

Thanks everyone. You've all been exceptionally helpful and the turn around time and quality of your responses has been unprecedented.

I know when I started with MSDOS 3.1 you had to add the dot to the path or type .\something.exe or the complete path to the file.
I am on Windows 8.0.

I haven't noticed much difference in that in the Command Prompt window, just that there will be some things DOS that are not available in the Command Prompt on WinXP and later. I started with MS-DOS in '92 with Win3.1.

You say you are using Win8.0 and your System Specs shows Win7. I strongly suggest you Update to Win8.1 [free from the Store] as the touted Win10 Upgrade won't be free for Win8.0, only for Win7 w/SP1 and Win8.1.