Runner is a cross platform (tested on linux/win32) application for launching programs with long or complex command line arguments.
The program reads a .txt file containing variable definitions and executes a specified variable definition. For example, here's the file my.txt which I use to launch mysql on linux:
tm = /tools/mysql
mysqld = %tm%/bin/mysqld
arg1 = --defaults-extra-file=%tm%/data/my.cnf
arg2 = --basedir=%tm%
arg3 = --datadir=%tm%/data
arg4 = --pid-file=%tm%/data/mysql.pid
arg5 = --skip-locking
arg6 = --bind-address=127.0.0.1
cmd = %mysqld% %arg1% %arg2% %arg3% %arg4% %arg5% %arg6%

As you can see, other keys in the file can be referenced via %key_name%. To run mysql as a foreground process:
runner.exe my.txt cmd

As a background process:
runner.exe my.txt cmd &

For debugging output, set the environment variable RUNNER_DEBUG to something starting with: { y, Y, t, T, 1 }. On windows, runner comes in two flavors:
runner.exe => behaves like linux version, runs as a console app
runnerh.exe => runs "headless" - that is, without a console

The license of this software is Freeware, you can free download and free use this system utility software.