accessing the CLI in a prog

[PhilOfPerth]

How does one access the C Prompt (CLI) from within a  QBPE programme? I don't see any functions like CMD or COMMAND, but I know it can be (and is) done frequently by members. I've tried to interpret what they did, with no success. How do I get to put Shell "c: dir" (and others) into my programme? (maybe another lesson about CLI access etc ?)

[SMcNeill]

Usually the easiest way is to juust pipe the results into a text file and then read it back into your program.

SHELL "c:\dir > temp.txt"         <-- this runs that shell command to C:\DIR and then pipes the output to "temp.txt".

OPEN "temp.txt" FOR INPUT AS #1
DO UNTIL EOF(1)
    LINE INPUT #1, text$
    PRINT text$
LOOP

^And then something similar to the above will read that file and print the results to the screen.

[bplus]

Like this?

[TerryRitchie]

(maybe another lesson about CLI access etc ?)

In the tutorial is a side lesson on the CLI located here:

https://www.qb64tutorial.com/lessoncli

Everything in that lesson can be applied with the SHELL statement as Steve has explained above.

Lesson 11 then expands on these concepts with QB64 CLI related statements.

[PhilOfPerth]

Thanks, all. But I'm afraid I wasn't able to get what I needed from any of those replies. (yes, Terry, I read all of those tuts).
There are obviously huge holes in my knowledge in this area. This code:
Shell "c:\dir > temp.txt" '      <-- this runs that shell command to C:\DIR and then pipes the output to "temp.txt".
Open "temp.txt" For Input As #1
Do Until EOF(1)
    Line Input #1, text$
    Print text$
Loop
returns a blank window.

shell "CMD" 
gives the c: prompt, which I can then use by entering that window and using DOS commands (e.g. dir c: ) to get the tree structure. 
 I'd like to do all of that from within my programme. I suspect it's  something to do with batch files, but I don't know how to run these from PE.

[SMcNeill]

Code: (Select All)

$Console:Only

Shell "dir c:\ > temp.txt" '      <-- this runs that shell command to DIR to get a listing of C:\, and then pipes the output to "temp.txt".

Open "temp.txt" For Input As #1

Do Until EOF(1)

    Line Input #1, text$

    Print text$

Loop

Give the above a try.  The issue with the blank screen was you specifying  "c: dir" and me just plugging it in by mistake.  There's no "dir.com", "dir.exe", or "dir.bat" file in the "c:\" directory, so no file to run and thus nothing to pipe. 

By *just* using the DIR command, the system looks in the various paths and finds where that command is located, and then gives you a directory listing of C:\, as specified above.

Anytime you have issues with SHELL, test your command with $CONSOLE:ONLY.  Then your QB64 program will run in the console/terminal and you'll see the output before that shell window opens and closes instantly on you.  It's a great way to get those error messages and determine what the heck has gone wrong.

[GareBear]

To run this in linux console do this:

Code: (Select All)

$Console
Shell "ls > temp.txt" '      <-- this runs that shell command to ls to get a listing of the current directory, and then pipes the output to "temp.txt".
Open "temp.txt" For Input As #1
Do Until EOF(1)
    Line Input #1, text$
    Print text$
Loop

This will work for linux console. SMcNeill, I hope you don't mind the changes I made here.- GareBear

[bplus]

@GearBear do offer Linux advice! I don't use Linux (yet) but I am sure this is helpful to those that do.

Besides mnr seems to have gone in hibernation.

[GareBear]

Thanks!, bplus.

I wasn't sure if I could get it to work. When I remove the " :Only " from the  $console command it works. It helps having both DOS and some linux commands for reference.

[SMcNeill]

$Console:Only doesn't work in Linux?   What flavor and version of Linux are you running?