OpenEuphoria

Re: command_line() bug in ex.exe 2.4

• Posted by Robert Craig <rds at RapidEuphoria.com> Nov 03, 2004
• 460 views

Juergen Luethje wrote:
> I ran the following small test program on Windows 98:
> }}}
<eucode>
> -- program 'cmd.ex'
> constant CMD = command_line()
> for i = 3 to length(CMD) do
>    puts(1, "-" & CMD[i] & "-\n")
> end for
> if getc(0) then end if
> </eucode>
{{{

> 
> a) When calling it like this:
>       exw.exe cmd.ex "c:\long dirname\"
>    it displays, as I expected:
>       -c:\long dirname\-
> 
> b) But when calling it like this:
>       ex.exe cmd.ex "c:\long dirname\"
>    it displays:
>       -c:\long dirname"-
> 
>    It might look as if the backslash acts as an escape character here.
>    But I think this isn't true, because in that case the first backslash
>    should cause an error. Also, this should be consistent on all
>    supported platforms IMHO.
>    Calling
>       ex.exe cmd.ex "c:\long dirname\\"
>    displays
>       -c:\long dirname\"-
> 
>    In order to achieve the desired result, I have to omit the second
>    double quote character:
>       ex.exe cmd.ex "c:\long dirname\
>    displays
>       -c:\long dirname\-
> 
>    Calling
>       ex.exe cmd.ex "c:\long dirname\" "d:\long dirname\"
>    displays
>       -c:\long dirname" -
>       -d:\long-
>       -dirname"-
 
The DOS command line is not handled the way you would like, 
but I don't have control over that. I just take the command line 
arguments as the system provides them to me. (Same on Linux
and FreeBSD).

For Windows, I get the command line as one long string,
and I have to break it up into separate arguments, taking
quotes into account. If there was something wrong, 
I might be able to correct it. But apparently you like the
way exw does things.

I don't necessarily agree that Euphoria's 
command line arguments must be completely consistent 
across all platforms. The O/S and the command shell 
can process the command line before the program sees it.
Even between DOS and Windows, I think there may be 
subtle differences beyond what you've observed.

Regards,
   Rob Craig
   Rapid Deployment Software
   http://www.RapidEuphoria.com