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Power Automate Desktop execute program and pass parameters question

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Posted on by lmheimendinger

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I am trying to set up a desktop flow that I can call from a cloud flow. What I want that desktop flow to do is pretty simple:

Run a program
Pass the prograam a string parameter

I am not certain I am doing it correctly.

I use Windows Task Manager to run several tasks, all of which launch the same program but each task uses a different parameter string. Those all work fine, but instead of ONLY running those tasks at fixed intervals, I also need to run them when a flow creates new data that those tasks deal with via a utility.

In the task action, the value is

"C:\Program Files (x86)\<directory>\<programname>.exe" and the arugment is

Item to be processed

The latter has no quote marks, single or double.

For the run application step

Should I include the "" marks around the patch and program name or omit them or use single '?
Should the argumet string (parameter) be enclosded in " or ' or have none?

The desktop flow "seems" to run but I am unable to tell for sure.

Long time cloud flow developer but new to desktop.

Thanks in advance.

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Power Automate Desktop

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lmheimendinger 260 on at

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I have solved half of this problem by simply browsing to the program location (Duh ddn't know the folder icon would do this). I then created a cloud flow and called the desktop flow from it. It now runs for about a minute, which is what I expect, but I can find no evidence on the servr that it actually did run. I have simplified the parameter into a string with no spaces, but whether I enclose it in " or ' or neither, the results seem to be the same.

When I monitor the flow, that step really doesn't tell me much. And I no longer see a command window open on the server. Not a lot of documentation about run application action for desktop flows....

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lmheimendinger 260 on at

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Problem solved. The path is set from browsing, so no ' or "".
The argument is just a string, no ' or "

When I executed the desktop flow from a cloud flow, I could see nothing on the server session.

However, when I manually run the desktop flow, I see the cmd window open and do exactly what I am expecting.

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LucianoGomesBR on at

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I had the same issue to open excel files with spaces in their names so I solved that by using triple quotes.

Example:

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lmheimendinger 260 on at

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good to know! thanks

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