HTMLHelp compiler works perfectly from command line but not run from a script or batch file
<p>I am trying to run the windows helpfile compiler (<code>hhc.exe</code>) from a script, but it shows very unexpected behaviour.</p>

<p>When I run it from cmd.exe with <code>hhc pathtohelpproject.hpp</code>, the helpfile is compiled as expected. However, invoking the exact same command from python with the same working directory result in the program returning 0 and no output.</p>

<p>But it gets even more bizarre: I've created a batch file <code>runhhc.bat</code>:</p>

<pre><code>hhc "pathtohelpproject.hpp"
</code></pre>

<p>which I ran from the python script by invoking <code>call runhhc.bat</code>, <code>start runhhc.bat</code> and just <code>runhhc.bat</code>. </p>

<p>All of them resulted in the same behaviour. However, with <code>start runhhc.bat</code> the cmd instance was still open after hhc returned, so I tried entering the command manually again, without success. But when I entered the command in a freshly, manually opened cmd, it also didn't work! In fact, it only started working once I closed the cmd opened by my script.</p>

<p>What could be the explanation for this bizarre behaviour? And how can I run the compiler from a script regardless?</p>