What does this research mean for the field?

Calling external executables from PowerShell requires specific techniques, such as the stop-parsing token or Start-Process, to correctly handle argument quoting, exit codes, and character encoding. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.METHODOLOGICAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

Identify and address common failure points when invoking external binaries in PowerShell, including improper argument parsing, absent exit codes, and character encoding errors.

August 31, 2026Open Access

Calling External EXEs Correctly from PowerShell — The Pitfalls of Argument Quoting, Exit Codes, and Mojibake (archived 2026-08-30)

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Identify and address common failure points when invoking external binaries in PowerShell, including improper argument parsing, absent exit codes, and character encoding errors.
Examined command invocation mechanics across native executables like robocopy and custom binaries in PowerShell environments.
Evaluated the impact of PowerShell 7.3 argument-passing changes, the stop-parsing token (--%), and the Start-Process cmdlet.
Quotation mark interpretation differences frequently break command arguments passed to external tools.
Character encoding discrepancies between native processes and PowerShell yield mojibake text output, while direct execution can obscure critical exit codes.

Implication

Technical analysis reveals native executable execution pitfalls in PowerShell, highlighting best practices for argument quoting, exit code capture, and encoding errors.

Abstract

Call robocopy or an in-house EXE from PowerShell and the arguments break, the exit code is unavailable, and the output turns into mojibake. A practical rundown of the PowerShell 7.3 argument-passing change, the stop-parsing token --%, and when to use Start-Process. Archived version of https://comcomponent.com/en/blog/powershell-native-command-arguments/, as published on 2026-08-30. The live article is maintained and may change after this date. First published 2026-07-25.

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Cite This Study

Go Komura (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a95427bf20e493292a74d72 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22170750

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Implication

Technical analysis reveals native executable execution pitfalls in PowerShell, highlighting best practices for argument quoting, exit code capture, and encoding errors.

Calling External EXEs Correctly from PowerShell — The Pitfalls of Argument Quoting, Exit Codes, and Mojibake (archived 2026-08-30)

Key Points

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Calling External EXEs Correctly from PowerShell — The Pitfalls of Argument Quoting, Exit Codes, and Mojibake (archived 2026-08-30)

Key Points

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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