Open file with default application from command line

Try this.

START "" "path to my file"

The START command treats the first set of "" as the text to use for the title of the window, so just include an empty pair.

Don't use START. Just type the name of the file. readme.txt opens readme.txt in Notepad (or in whatever default .txt handler you have in place).

Note that if there are spaces in the name, you must handle them. A good way is to use double quotes. "read me.txt"

explorer "filename"

works for xp and other windows (95 or higher) If it does not work, you haven't associated that extention type with a program.