cygstart equivalent

[ghost]

With Cygwin, cygstart wraps the ShellExecuteW function

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/shellapi/nf-shellapi-shellexecutew

cmd.exe has similar option with start and PowerShell with Start-Process

it seems WSL has no such option

[therealkenc]

$ cat << EOF > wslstart
#!/usr/bin/env sh
cmd.exe /c start \$@
EOF
$ chmod 755 ./wslstart
$ ./wslstart https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/4287

[ghost]

@therealkenc no, thats not a good idea as it fails with space or ampersand:

wslstart 'http://example.com?aa bb&cc'

[therealkenc]

Alright.

cat << EOF > wslstart
#/usr/bin/env sh
powershell.exe -command \& {Start-Process \'\`echo \$@\`\'}
EOF
$ chmod 755 ./wslstart
$ ./wslstart 'http://example.com?aa bb&cc'

Although that URL mostly has what is coming. Ref #3832 (message) with open LZ #2835.

[0xbadfca11]

$ ./wslstart iexplore 'http://example.com?aa bb&cc'

Start-Process method can not use any arguments. And -ArgumentList doesn't match the shell's idiom.
After all it is better to use cmd.exe /c start?

cmd.exe /c start '' "$@"

[therealkenc]

I was hoping you'd show.

And -ArgumentList doesn't match the shell's idiom.

Maybe...

#/usr/bin/env sh
al="${@:2}"
al=$(echo "${al/&/\"&\"}" | tr ' ' ,)
if [ $al ]
then
  powershell.exe -command \& {Start-Process \'$(echo $1)\' -ArgumentList $al}
else
  powershell.exe -command \& {Start-Process \'$(echo $1)\'}
fi

After all it is better to use cmd.exe /c start?

Yeah. Probably after all....

#/usr/bin/env sh
cmd.exe /c start '' "${@//&/^&}"

[therealkenc]

PS: I take back that there's no use case for Linux-native Chrome/Firefox on WSL. Its so all the bash and python scripts in the wild that call xdg-open(1) work out of the box......

[ghost]

Is this really what you all are suggesting? A hacky shell script? A standalone tool would be better, like cygstart. that way dont have to worry about any drama with cmd.exe or powershell issues.

i was hoping WSL offered something like open or xdg-open, but failing that i found this workaround:

rundll32 url,OpenURL "http://example.com?aa bb&cc"

[therealkenc]

Is this really what you all are suggesting? A hacky shell script?

Your hacky script only launches URLs.

#/usr/bin/env sh
rundll32.exe url,OpenURL "$@"

Which wasn't your OP ask. Your OP ask was for ShellExecute(). So, yes. That's what w'all are suggesting.

[ghost]

@therealkenc did you actually test that? or are you just assuming after reading the function name?

Works for me with files and URLs

[therealkenc]

or are you just assuming after reading the function name?

No; I need not assume anything. Because I know what ShellExecuteW() does. And way rundll32 takes parameters.

[ghost]

@therealkenc perhaps you should actually test it before talking further

it works with URLs and local files

[therealkenc]

it works with URLs and local files

Yes. Yes it does. Never said it didn't work with both files and URLs. Never even implied otherwise. What I said was I know what ShellExecuteW() does. And that I know why rundll32 takes parameters.

But happy you found an answer to your question either way.

[ghost]

@therealkenc when you say this:

Never said it didn't work with both files and URLs

I am confused because previously you said this:

Your hacky script only launches URLs.

#4287 (comment)

does that mean something other than what i thought it to mean?

[therealkenc]

I am confused because previously you said this:

C:\Windows\System32\url.dll will eat path strings and does not insists on the file: prefix. But you already know that, as does everyone less confused. At any rate, happy to hear you found a solution to your use case. Even happier that 0xbadfca11 stepped up with a solution to pushing WSL interop args into start, since it has been a common question and now there is a good answer.

[ghost]

restoring deleted message:

Apologies for being terse. That on me. url.dll is not strict about URL
syntax. It will parse (eat) the path component string of a file: scheme
without the prefix. It's all good.

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/7049700/60896072-8b370900-a21a-11e9-91d5-9ad74e9c4900.png

i guess i am a dummy, as I am still not understanding

do you have some example path that gets mangled by url.dll? i know my
workaround is not ideal, but i havent seen any parsing issues myself yet like
i experienced with cmd start.