powershell - What is the maximum length of the -ArgumentList parameter of the Start-Process cmdlet -

i'd use start-process call programm ps , pass bunch of arguments call said program should process in background.

it might happen, total list of supplied arguments program might hundreds (something 200-300 in total), each again string of 32 bytes length. i've tried find out maximum length of -argumentlist couldn't find reference far.

i doubt run problems amount of arguments supply, did bug me, how many arguments or how long in total might -argumentlist parameter be?

combined length of 8191 characters, maybe. or maybe depends on program you're running.

source: trial , error (windows 8.1 / psv4):

start-process -filepath cmd -argumentlist (@('/k','echo 1') + (2..1852)) # works  start-process -filepath cmd -argumentlist (@('/k','echo 1') + (2..1853)) # doesn't work 

around 6769 triggers exception:

ps c:\> start-process -filepath cmd -argumentlist (@('/k','echo 1') + (2..6768)) start-process : command cannot run due error: filename or extension long. @ line:1 char:1 + start-process -filepath cmd -argumentlist (@('/k','echo 1') + (2..676 ... + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~     + categoryinfo          : invalidoperation: (:) [start-process], invalidoperationexception     + fullyqualifiederrorid : invalidoperationexception,microsoft.powershell.commands.startprocesscommand 

but if shift numbers bit (2..1852|%{$_*100}) fails sooner. suggesting it's not number of arguments matters, string length of combined result.

((@('/k','echo 1') + (2..1852)) -join " ").length # 8160 when works, 8165 when breaks 

google 8165 limit cmd , get:

maximum length of command line string

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/830473

on computers running microsoft windows xp or later, maximum length of string can use @ command prompt 8191 characters.

so, either 8191 characters or ... maybe depends on program you're calling.

300 * 32 break that.

but again, if you've got program can handle - start-process appears have no problem array of 1,800 items argument list.