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EXEC
Syntax
[ Process = ] EXEC Command [ WAIT ] [ FOR { { READ | INPUT } | { WRITE | OUTPUT } } ] [ AS Name ]
EXEC Command TO Variable

Executes a command. An internal Process object is created to manage the command.

The command must be specified as an array of strings containing at least one element. The first element of this array is the name of the command, and the others are optional parameters.

If you use the INPUT and OUTPUT keywords instead of READ and WRITE, then the process is executed inside a virtual terminal. It means that the process will think running inside a true terminal.

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.

Example
' Get the contents of a directory
EXEC [ "ls", "-la", "/tmp" ] WAIT

Example
' Get the contents of a directory into a string
DIM sOutput AS String
EXEC [ "ls", "-la", "/tmp" ] TO sOutput

Example
' Get the contents of a directory into a string, but in background
DIM sOutput AS String

' A specific event name is used
EXEC [ "ls", "-la", "/tmp" ] FOR READ AS "Contents"

...

PUBLIC SUB Contents_Read()

  DIM sLine AS String

  READ #LAST, sLine, -256

  sOutput &= sLine

END

PUBLIC SUB Contents_Kill()

  PRINT sOutput

END

If you want to know how many bytes you can read in a Process_Read event handler, use the Lof function.

As arguments are sent directly to the process, you do not have to quote them, as you must do in a shell.

Example
' perl -e 'print while <>;' becomes

EXEC [ "perl", "-e", "print while <>;" ] FOR READ WRITE


See also
Process Management  Process  Lof