Using quotes and double quotes in Java Runtime.getRuntime().exec(...)

Question

I am trying to start a Lisp Image from Java in Mac OSX. Using the Image from my console I type the following:

lisp_image --eval '(package::method "some_argument")'

everything runs fine.

In Java I have the problem to pass the quotes and double quotes using the Runtime.getRuntime().exec("lisp_image --eval '(package::method \"some_argument\")'").

I also tried to use :

Runtime.getRuntime().exec(new String[] {"lisp_image", "--eval ", "\'(package::method ", 
           "--eval ", "\"", "some_argument", "\")", "\'"});

and various things with escaping using the backslash. Nothing works.... Using String Array seems to work only for Unix (or Windows) commands.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance, Sven

Richmond

Did you look at: javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-12-2000/jw-1229-traps.html?page=1 ? – Disconcert

Answer 1

As I understand it you want to invoke the list_image with two arguments, --eval and '(package::method \"some_argument\")' where the single quotes is just there to prevent the shell from breaking it up into multiple arguments.

Then you should use

Runtime.getRuntime().exec(new String[] {"lisp_image", "--eval", "(package::method \"some_argument\")"});

Alurd

GREAT ! It's the single quotes :-) Thank you so much ! – Richmond

@svendeswan, you may want to accept the answer if its worked for you :-) – Moonshiner