Unescaped parentheses in -AddedSWTargetDir break GenImage.cmd execution (\%~nxa was unexpected)

This issue was encountered on Validation OS 2026.07 (26100.8972.260722-1659.ge_release_svc_prod3_amd64fre_en-us_VALIDATIONOS.iso), running on a 25H2 host (10.0.26200.9267). I'm opening this issue here since there isn't another obvious place to provide VOS feedback; please let me know if it's best filed through Feedback Hub.

When specifying a target directory containing parentheses (such as \Program Files (x86)) using the -AddedSWTargetDir parameter, image generation fails during the custom software installation phase with the following batch parsing error:

\%~nxa was unexpected at this time.

In GenImage.cmd, the AddedSW processing block uses immediate % variable expansion instead of delayed expansion (!...!) within parenthesized blocks:

if defined AddedSW (
    ...
    if defined AddedSWTargetDir set _OptionValue=%AddedSWTargetDir%
    echo    Added Software Target .. [!_OptionValue!]
)

for /f "tokens=*" %%a in (%AddedSWPathsFile%) do (
    ...
    set TargetFolder=%AddedSWTargetDir%\%%~nxa
    ...
)

When %AddedSWTargetDir% is expanded at parse time, the ) in (x86) is interpreted as the closing delimiter of the for /f (or if) block, leaving \%%~nxa dangling and triggering a fatal parser syntax error in the latter case, and a display issue in the former case.

Steps to Reproduce

Run GenImage.cmd with custom software targeting \Program Files (x86):

GenImage.cmd -AddedSW:"C:\Path\To\MyTool" -AddedSWTargetDir:"\Program Files (x86)"

Suggested Fix

Switch variable evaluation to delayed expansion (!AddedSWTargetDir!) inside the parenthesized blocks:

In the options display block:

if defined AddedSWTargetDir set _OptionValue=!AddedSWTargetDir!

In the copy loop:

set TargetFolder=!AddedSWTargetDir!\%%~nxa

Workaround

Using the 8.3 short name avoids the issue on the user side (if 8.3 names are enabled in the partition flags):

-AddedSWTargetDir:"\PROGRA~2"

Alternatively, set the AddedSWTargetDir environment variable before invocation of GenImage.cmd:

set "AddedSWTargetDir=\Program Files (x86^)"

Start in GenImage.cmd and inspect the AddedSW options block and the for /f copy loop described in the issue. Reproduce with -AddedSWTargetDir:"\Program Files (x86)" and verify that image generation completes without the batch parsing error and that the target path is displayed and used correctly.