[ Process = ] SHELL Command [ WAIT ] [ FOR { { READ | INPUT } | { WRITE | OUTPUT } } ] [ AS Name ]
SHELL Command TO Variable
Executes a command. An internal Process object is created to manage the command.
The command is a string containing a command passed to the system shell (/bin/sh).
Name is the event name used by the Process object. By default, it is "Process".
You can get a reference to the internal Process object created by using an assignment.
If you use the second syntax, the command is executed, the interpreter waiting for its end, and the complete command output is put in the specified string.
' Get the content of a directory SHELL "ls -la /tmp" WAIT
' Same thing, but in background DIM Content AS String EXEC "ls -la /tmp" FOR READ ... PUBLIC SUB Process_Read() DIM sLine AS String READ #LAST, sLine, -256 Content = Content & sLine PRINT sLine; END
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If you want to know how many bytes you can read in a Process_Read event handler, use the Lof function. |
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As arguments are sent to a shell, you have to quote them, as if you type a command directly in it.
Example
SHELL "perl -e 'print while <>;'" FOR READ WRITE |
![]() | Unlike the VB Shell command, which returns a process ID and relies on the programmer to make API calls to control the process, the Gambas Shell function optionally returns a Process object (if used as an assignment to a variable declared AS Process) which can be used to directly kill or otherwise control the spawned process. Additionally, the process may be run synchronously or asynchronously, in contrast to the VB equivalent. |