021227; Dynamic Alternatives: Windows Console programs

Dynamic Alternatives
P.O. Box 59237
Norwalk, CA 90652
562 802 1639

Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 16:21:39 -0800

04 00074 60 02122702

Mr. Rod Welch
rodwelch@pacbell.net
The Welch Company
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111 2496
..

Subject:	Windows Console programs
	Memory Run SDS Functions Externally

Dear Rod,

I have verified that MSDOS can execute a Windows console program (with a long name) created by Delphi.
..
The test reads from c:\sd\10\stufq and writes to cd\sd\10\stufr and displays a window. This shows that the Console program can access windows visual functions!
..
The batch file used for the test waits for the test program to close and writes the output file.
..
It can read command line arguments.
..
The upshot is that if you can construct a menu entry for testing and a macro, I can begin to test the possibility of getting SDS to use external features for its functions.
..
I would like to have:

A Test entry on some SDS menu.
..
Tied to a macro that executes a test program (named whatever) with the following arguments:
1. The current User ID
  ..
2. The path to the current SDS record (in the working dir if not prior day).
3. The cursor row in the file (not screen)
4. The cursor column in the file (not screen)
5. The name of a file to use for returning results
..
The macro then displays the first line of the response file as a message.

..
That should allow me to test access to records for any use.

By changing program names or adding parameters, we should be able to test all sorts of interactions before we consider replacing some of the SDS functions with external programs.

The attached zip file has the test routines. Unzip into c:\sd\10, and run txt_bat.bat.
..
The batch file:

Replaces stufr with a line and types the file.
..
Copies stuffs to stufq so that the test always uses the same file.
..
Runs tst_long.exe which:
1. Reads 10 lines from stufq
  ..
2. Displays a window with the lines and wait for the button to be clicked.
3. Write a line and the program parameters to stufr
..
Types the stufr file to show that the batch file waited for the program to finish.

This *should* be a start on the next step.

Thanks,

Sincerely,

Garold L. Johnson
dynalt@dynalt.com