how to change directory before running command in windows command prompt

Question

# run.bat
cmd /k python.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\XXX\test.py"

cmd /k cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\XXX\" & python.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\XXX\test.py"

cmd /k "cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\XXX\" & python.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\XXX\test.py""

Question> I need to change the working directory to C:\\Program Files (x86)\\XXX\\ then run the command python.exe "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\XXX\\test.py" . Several methods have been tested and none of them give me the desired result. They all end up run the command without changing the working directory.

For example, If I run c:\\temp\\run.bat, I expect the script first to change to directory of C:\\Program Files (x86)\\XXX\\ then run the python script.

Answer 1

Step 1: Find the short names for the directory with space

dir /X
PROGRA~2     Program Files (x86)

Step 2: Quote all commands

cmd /k "cd C:\PROGRA~2\XXX\ & python.exe C:\PROGRA~2\XXX\test.py"