Start a command and if it doesn't work start another - windows

Question

I want to start acrobat from my software.
At this moment I'm using the following command:
cmd /c start AcroRd32.exe /t filename
But now acrobat sometimes updates to 64 bit version and then AcroRd32.exe doesn't exists anymore.
So we have to start acrobat.exe instead:
cmd /c start acrobat.exe /t filename
But we are working with a lot of clients with different computers and maybe different versions of acrobat. That is also why we don't specify an install path.
So is there a way to say in one command line entry (not a script) to start AcroRd32.exe and if this doesn't work start immediately acrobat.exe instead?
So something like:
cmd /c start AcroRd32.exe /t filename | if not 1 is ok then cmd /c start acrobat.exe /t filename

Answer 1

#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
FOR /f "delims=" %%b IN ('where autoruns64.exe autorunsc64.exe 2^>nul') DO CMD /c START "" "%%b" &GOTO done
ECHO NOT found!
:done
GOTO :eof
Note: START command : extra pair of quotes. This sets the title of the STARTed session, otherwise the first "quoted string" is used.
"%%b" is used in case the path to the executable (I used autoruns) contains a space.
The first argument to where is the preferred target.
where examines the path for filenames matching its arguments and lists them. The for /f reads the list and on the first match found, executes the START. If no match is found,an error message is produced by WHERE, which is suppressed by the 2^>nul.
Edit: one-line version
FOR /f "delims=" %b IN ('where autoruns64.exe autorunsc64.exe 2^>nul') DO CMD /c START "" "%b" &exit
Posted as a batch file because it's easier to re-run during testing.
WHERE locates files on the PATH and lists them
START locates files on the PATH and executes the first one found.
The PATH is the list of directories that will be examined by START, in the order in which they will be searched for the required executable, so WHERE examines that list of directories for the target executable, it does not search all of the drives in the hope of finding it.

Answer 2

Traditionally even on 64bit it was still Acrord32 for the free reader to avoid such dual name problems / complication and the 32bit or 64bit full product was start Acrobat.exe
However Adobe did not help by using version specifics within the registry so a query there would generally produce differing results ! Microsoft start adding enhancements as to where or how simple launchers may be deployed so the location now gets cloudier (pun :-)
However the traditional ask the registry works best except for my portable
version (where /r h:\ acrord32.exe is very slow on a TB drive and it was not on that one anyway, it was on a network drive!).
Simplest way I can think of via cmd to find an installed copy is:-
cmd /v:on /c "where acro*.exe>temp.txt&&set /p acroexe=<temp.txt&&if exist !acroexe! (!acroexe! /t %filename%)"
there is little use of errorlevel since the fail will simply report
> INFO: Could not find files for the given pattern(s).
Priority will be the first match within %path%
You also need to consider where temp.txt will be written perhaps "%tmp%\delme.txt"
Potential "Gotcha" is if first match finds something like AcrobatUpdater.exe
To avoid random acro's best use
cmd /v:on /c "where /f acrord32.exe acrobat.exe>temp.txt&&set /p acroexe=<temp.txt&&if exist !acroexe! (!acroexe! /t %filename%)"
actually since all you desire is start one or the other then
start "Reader" acrord32.exe /t "filename.pdf" "printer name"||start "Editor" acrobat.exe /t "filename.pdf" "printer name"
The downside to this last method is Windows will raise a GUI error if acrord32 cannot "start" Thus gui warning needs to be dismissed before the second option can be run and start. In that case START cannot be told to be silent on error.
Finally make your choice from above or use a hybrid approach
where /f acrord32.exe... || start acrobat.exe.. will not warn user on first fail but only on second if both missing.