Why does not archetype:generate with parameters work for me?

If i run mvn archetype:generate it works but if i try ``` mvn archetype:generate -DarchetypeGroupId org.codehaus.mojo -DarchetypeArtifactId gwt-maven-plugin -DarchetypeVersion=2.5.0 ``` The message is from my last attempt with backslashes but it''s the same message for without slashes command ``` E:\mavenplay\a>mvn archetype:generate \ -DarchetypeGroupId org.codehaus.mojo \ - DarchetypeArtifactId gwt-maven-plugin \ -DarchetypeVersion=2.5.0 -X Apache Maven 3.0.5 (r01de14724cdef164cd33c7c8c2fe155faf9602da; 2013-02-19 15:51: 28+0200) Maven home: E:\apache-maven-3.0.5\bin\.. Java version: 1.6.0_25, vendor: Sun Microsystems Inc. Java home: E:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_25\jre Default locale: en_US, platform encoding: Cp1252 OS name: "windows 7", version: "6.1", arch: "x86", family: "windows" [INFO] Error stacktraces are turned on. [DEBUG] Reading global settings from E:\apache-maven-3.0.5\bin\..\conf\settings. xml [DEBUG] Reading user settings from C:\Users\henkel\.m2\settings.xml [DEBUG] Using local repository at C:\Users\henkel\.m2\repository [DEBUG] Using manager EnhancedLocalRepositoryManager with priority 10 for C:\Use rs\henkel\.m2\repository [INFO] Scanning for projects... [DEBUG] Extension realms for project org.apache.maven:standalone-pom:pom:1: (non e) [DEBUG] Looking up lifecyle mappings for packaging pom from ClassRealm[plexus.co re, parent: null] [INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [INFO] BUILD FAILURE [INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [INFO] Total time: 0.247s [INFO] Finished at: Sun Jun 30 03:00:22 EEST 2013 [INFO] Final Memory: 1M/15M [INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ERROR] The goal you specified requires a project to execute but there is no POM in this directory (E:\mavenplay\a). Please verify you invoked Maven from the co rrect directory. -> [Help 1] org.apache.maven.lifecycle.MissingProjectException: The goal you specified requi res a project to execute but there is no POM in this directory (E:\mavenplay\a). Please verify you invoked Maven from the correct directory. at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.execute(Lifecycl eStarter.java:89) at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:320) at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.execute(DefaultMaven.java:156) at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.execute(MavenCli.java:537) at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.doMain(MavenCli.java:196) at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.main(MavenCli.java:141) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl. java:39) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAcces sorImpl.java:25) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597) at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launchEnhanced(Laun cher.java:290) at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launch(Launcher.jav a:230) at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.mainWithExitCode(La uncher.java:409) at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.main(Launcher.java: 352) [ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR] For more information about the errors and possible solutions, please rea d the following articles: [ERROR] [Help 1] http://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/MAVEN/MissingProject Exception E:\mavenplay\a> ``` I have tried with / \ and no slashing. Please let me know what other details to give. LE: As a sidenote i did manage to create the archetype in interactive mode of course but i'm just curious why it does not work directly