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Alex
Asked: 2018-04-02 08:56:33 +0800 CST

What does the @ symbol mean before a file path in Windows command prompt?

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I've noticed that powershell.exe started csc.exe with a command line like this:

"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\csc.exe" /noconfig /fullpaths @"C:\Windows\TEMP\pn1kld2d.cmdline"

I've read the CSC manual page, but didn't found any clues about what that @ sign does here.

Does anyone know the purpose of this @ sign?

windows

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    When in doubts, try inbuilt help csc.exe /help:

    ==> pushd "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319"

==> csc.exe /? | findstr /I "noconfig fullpaths C# @ (R) help"
Microsoft (R) Visual C# Compiler version 4.7.2556.0 for C# 5
This compiler is provided as part of the Microsoft (R) .NET Framework, but only
 supports language versions up to C# 5, which is no longer the latest version.
 For compilers that support newer versions of the C# programming language, see
 http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=533240
                        Visual C# Compiler Options
@<file>                        Read response file for more options
/help                          Display this usage message (Short form: /?)
/noconfig                      Do not auto include CSC.RSP file
/fullpaths                     Compiler generates fully qualified paths

==>

    Then, find csc.exe response file documentation:

    @ (C# Compiler Options)

    The @ option lets you specify a file that contains compiler options and source code files to compile.

    Syntax: @response_file

    Arguments: response_file A file that lists compiler options or source code files to compile.

    Remarks: The compiler options and source code files will be processed by the compiler just as if they had been specified on the command line.
    ...

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