How to manage spaces in path names on Windows images?

Spaces in path names are not allowed on Linus systems. But spaces in path names are allowed on Windows systems.

There are 2 general rules you have to remember to manage spaces in path names in the Dockerfile to build Windows images.

1. Using the "shell" format to specify parameters in Dockerfile, if there is no spaces in any parameters. For example:

RUN PowerShell mkdir C:\fyicenter
COPY Hello.java C:/fyicenter/Hello.java

2. Using the "exec" format to specify parameters in Dockerfile, if there are spaces in some parameters. For example:

RUN ["PowerShell", "mkdir", "\"C:\\FYI Center\""]
COPY ["Hello.java", "C:/FYI Center/Hello.java"]

Notes on using "exec" format:

• Backslashes must be escaped. Looks like the "exec" format uses a JSON array syntax, which reserves the backslash as the escape character.
• For PowerShell commands, extra quotes are needed to protect spaces in an argument.

Here is Dockerfile example, JavaImage, that uses spaces in path names:

C:\fyicenter> type JavaImage

FROM openjdk
RUN ["PowerShell", "mkdir", "\"C:\\FYI Center\""]
COPY ["Hello.java", "C:/FYI Center/Hello.java"]
RUN ["javac", "C:\\FYI Center\\Hello.java"]
ENTRYPOINT ["java", "-cp", "C:\\FYI Center", "Hello"]

Build and run it.

C:\fyicenter> docker build --file JavaImage --tag myjava .
Step 1/5 : FROM openjdk
 ---> fdc7d8d04bc9
Step 2/5 : RUN ["PowerShell", "mkdir", "\"C:\\My Home\""]
 ---> Running in 0e457fcd1025
Removing intermediate container 0e457fcd1025
 ---> d3757bcbd35f
Step 3/5 : COPY ["Hello.java", "C:/My Home/Hello.java"]
 ---> 3937cb41e4cf
Step 4/5 : RUN ["javac", "C:\\My Home\\Hello.java"]
 ---> Running in 5f0dcbe06a8d
Removing intermediate container 5f0dcbe06a8d
 ---> a30f5dd0735a
Step 5/5 : ENTRYPOINT ["java", "-cp", "C:\\My Home", "Hello"]
 ---> Running in ce414d3bfad3
Removing intermediate container ce414d3bfad3
 ---> 2bffa2d267d3
Successfully built 2bffa2d267d3
Successfully tagged myjava:latest

C:\fyicenter> docker run --name myjava myjava
Hello world!

C:\fyicenter> docker rm myjava
myjava

Ok, we are able to build our own Java Docker image with a Java program in sub-directory that has a space in the path name.

⇒ "shell" Format vs. "exec" Format

⇐ Path Name Used to Build Windows Images

⇑ Building Docker Images for Windows

⇑⇑ Docker Container Platform - Tutorials