Problem: Windows mkdir command creates wrong folder with umlaut characters

Products

• CA Automic Workload Automation - Automation Engine

Issue/Introduction

When running a Windows job containing a mkdir command with an umlaut character, the command executes without error but creates a folder with an incorrect name․​​​​​​​‍

 

ERROR MESSAGE: "No error message is generated"․ The job reports success but creates the wrong directory name․

 

SYMPTOMS:

• Job attributes use UC_CODE or UTF8 Code Table

• Command contains umlaut characters

• Folder is created with missing or altered characters

• Automic report indicates the correct folder was created and files are present

 

CONTEXT: This occurs when executing Windows batch commands via the Automic Agent using standard Windows Command Prompt (cmd․exe)․

 

IMPACT: Incorrect folder creation can lead to missing files and workflow failures.

Environment

 

OS: Windows 2022

Automation Engine 24․4․3+hf1

Windows Agent 24․4․2+hf1

 

Cause

This is a character encoding mismatch․ The Automic Agent writes the temporary execution script to the server using standard Windows ANSI encoding based on the UC_CODE Code Table․ However, Windows Command Prompt (cmd․exe) defaults to a legacy DOS dictionary (Code Page 437)․ The command prompt misinterprets the ANSI byte for the umlaut character․

Resolution

Prerequisites:

• Access to modify the affected job object

 

Steps: 

Choose one of the solutions below.

 

Option 1․ Force Command Prompt to use ANSI Encoding

Add the following command to the top of the script to set the active console code page to Windows-1252:

C:\Windows\System32\chcp․com 1252

Expected: The command prompt correctly interprets the ANSI byte and creates the folder with the correct umlaut․

NOTE: Using the absolute path to chcp․com ensures it runs even if default PATH variables are not loaded․

 

Option 2․ Switch Interpreter to Powershell

Change the job interpreter from CMD to PowerShell․

Expected: PowerShell natively reads script files written in ANSI and creates the folder correctly without requiring additional commands․

 

Verify Success:

• Execute the job

• Verify the folder is created with the exact spelling and umlaut characters