perl - Passing a quoted string to system() keeping quotes intact -

this problem applies perl v5.24.0 on windows 10

except simplest cases. problem passing command lines , parameter lists between programs. taking account effects of whitespace , shell metacharacters, possibly data remains intact on several levels of calls, can involve mess of escapes , quotation marks

the panacea has been use multiple-parameter form of system (which tries avoid calling shell intermediary) each parameter reliably separated without resorting quotes

a call this

system("dir \"c:\\program files\\\"") 

is easier on eye written this

system('dir', 'c:\program files\\') 

however, can see no way pass values include enclosing quotes

if write test program

show.pl

use data::dump; dd \@argv; 

and call

system('show', 'xxx') 

then output expect

["xxx"] 

however, suppose want pass string "xxx". if try

system('show', '"xxx"') 

then quotes stripped @ point along way , output identical preceding example

how make call system such output ["\"xxx\""]?

i have tried manner of escaping, solution evades me

the problem:

system($^x, '-e', 'say @argv', '"test"'); 

output:

test 

that's broken!^[1]

---

solution:

use win32::shellquote qw( quote_system );  system(quote_system($^x, '-e', 'say @argv', '"test"')); 

output:

"test" 

---

1. perl needs build command line if shell isn't used. unlike unix system call execute program takes path program , list of arguments, windows system call execute program takes command line, command line must built if shell avoided. appears perl builds command lines incorrectly.^[2] why using system block list syntax doesn't help.

2. in fact, it's application parse command line arguments! thankfully, there's system call that, standard has formed.