capture standard io strangely ? fmc.PrcoessStream

BlitzMax Forums/BlitzMax Programming/capture standard io strangely ? fmc.PrcoessStream

skn3	(Posted 2007) [#1]

Ok this is a tricky problem but...

I currently have a seriously annoying problem with a program i am writting.

Here is how it works.

Executable called "installservice.exe" runs

"installservice.exe" calls the NT command prompt "instsrv.exe" to install another nt exe called "srvany.exe".

It then sets up the registry entries to run srvany.exe with a blitzmax compiled executable called peer.debug.exe.

Once it is installed and the registry is updated, it calls "net start" to start the service.

It does this all using FABIAN's CreateProcessStream fmc.PrcoessStream to read the ouput of said executables.

NOW here is the problem:

It will execute the programs fine. The first time it runs it will perform all things according to plan. All output gets directed properly and things work. Upon ending the installservice.exe program there will be a newly installed and running service written in blitzmax.

If i run installservice.exe again the capture in/out from the process seems to randomly not work. IE it will work with some executables but not with others. I tracked it down that if I KILL srvany or peer.debug.exe from the process list, it will work again as planned.

The idea of installservice.exe is to check to see if the service is installed. If not, install it. Then check to see if it is running. If not, start it.

This weird behavior has lead me to believe that somewhere blitz is capturing the input / output in an odd manner.

Anyone got any ideas ?

Unfortunatly I cant post all the code, but this is installservice.exe

'this program will install the cap program as a service
Framework BRL.FileSystem
Import brl.standardio
Import fmc.Processstream

Import "../../../global/types/tcommandline.bmx"
Import "../../../global/libs/registryfunctions.bmx"

Local temp_action:String = GetCommand(0)
Local temp_name:String = GetCommand(1)
Local temp_read:String
Local temp_ok:Int = True
Local temp_stream:TProcessStream

Select temp_action.tolower()
	Case "install"
		Local temp_path:String = RealPath(GetCommand(2))

		If temp_name.length And temp_path.length And FileType(temp_path) = 1
			temp_ok = False
			temp_stream = CreateProcessStream("instsrv.exe "+temp_name+" "+CurrentDir()+"/srvany.exe")
			If temp_stream
				While temp_stream.eof() = False
					temp_read = temp_stream.ReadLine()
					Select temp_read
						Case "  CreateService SUCCESS at creating:"
							temp_ok = True
							Print "service installed"
					End Select
				Wend
				
				If temp_ok = True
					'update the registry entries
					Local temp_reg:tregkey = OpenRegKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\"+temp_name)
					If temp_reg
						temp_reg.close()
						temp_reg = CreateRegKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\"+temp_name+"\Parameters")
						temp_reg.setstring("Application",temp_path)
						temp_reg.close()
						
						'start the service
						temp_stream = CreateProcessStream("net start "+temp_name)
						temp_ok = False
						While temp_stream.eof() = False
							temp_read = temp_stream.ReadLine()
							
							Select temp_read
								Case "The "+temp_name+" service was started successfully."
									temp_ok = True
									Print "service started"
								Case "The requested service has already been started."
									temp_ok = True
									Print "service started"
								Case "The service name is invalid."
									temp_ok = False
							End Select
						Wend
					End If
				End If

			End If
		End If
		
		
	Case "remove"
		If temp_name.length
			'stop the service
			temp_ok = False
			
			temp_stream = CreateProcessStream("net stop "+temp_name)
			While temp_stream.eof() = False
				Delay 1
				temp_read = temp_stream.ReadLine()
				
				Select temp_read
					Case "The "+temp_name+" service is Not started."
						temp_ok = True
						Print "service stopped"
					Case "The "+temp_name+" service was stopped successfully."
						temp_ok = True
						Print "service stopped"
					Case "The specified service does not exist as an installed service."
						temp_ok = False
				End Select
			Wend
			
			'uninstall service
			If temp_ok
			
				temp_ok = False
				temp_stream = CreateProcessStream("instsrv.exe "+temp_name+" remove")
				If temp_stream
					While temp_stream.eof() = False
						Delay 1
						temp_read = temp_stream.ReadLine()
						
						Select temp_read
							Case "DeleteService SUCCESS"
								temp_ok = True
								Print "service removed"
						End Select
					Wend
				End If
			End If
		End If
End Select

SebHoll

(Posted 2007) [#2]

Is this fmc.ProcessStream similar to Skid's Pub.FreeProcess (cross-platform and available through syncmods). If it does the same things (starting, terminating and reading output/writing input from/to processes) then I can vouch for its stability - I've been using it for many projects and never had strange results. I believe it is what the BlitzMax IDE uses too for talking to the compiler etc.

If I've got the right idea, you may want to give that a try instead, unless of course there is a simple solution.

;-)

skn3	(Posted 2007) [#3]

Seb you do indeed have the correct idea. I tried pub.freeprocess but had to resort to using fabian's as there were issues with detecting when a process had ended, and capturing output!

Got any examples you want to share, perhaps I was doing it wrong ?