ExecDos plug-in

Author: Takhir (talk, contrib)

Links

Download:
ExecDos.zip (40 KB)
Forum thread

Description

Plug-in works with console applications - creates hidden child process with redirected i/o. Compare to nsExec has four add-ons:

1. string parameter that serves as stdin for running application - may be useful if you want to give login/password to running application;
2. sync/async (background) process launch option - async is good for long running applications;
3. it works out of section - for .onInit check outs;
4. multithreading - allows to run few applications at the same time.

Plug-in can put application output to log file, 'detailed' installer window, any other text window, to installer stack or calls script function to handle every line. Maximum input (stdin) string size (i.e. plug-in second parameter) is up to 8kB in the special NSIS build, 1 kB otherwise. The same with output lines length if target is not a file.
'exec' return code depends on the execution mode: application exit code for sync mode and control thread handle for async one. Handle required for 'wait' - it helps to understand what application exit to wait for. If stack is not used between 'exec' and 'wait', both Pop after 'exec' and 'wait' parameter may be skipped - handle just sits in the stack.

Syntax

"exec" function

ExecDos::exec [/NOUNLOAD /ASYNC] /TOSTACK | /DETAILED | /TOWINDOW | /TOFUNC] [/TIMEOUT=xxx] [/ENDFUNC=func] application_to_run [stdin_string] [log_file_name | window | function]

Executes console application.

ASYNC

Not waits for process exit. Use 'wait' call if you want to get exit code. (/NOUNLOAD is mandatory!)

TIMEOUT

TOTAL execution time, milliseconds, for example /TIMEOUT=10000. Default is big enough. Short timeouts may cause app to be terminated.

TOSTACK

pushes output to stack instead of log_file (do not use log_file_name parameter with this option). May be confusing if few apps puts lines to stack in the async mode.

DETAILED

puts output to installer' DetailedView window.

TOWINDOW

adds output lines to target window. Edit, RichEdit, ListView and ListBox supported

TOFUNC

pushes output lines to installer stack and calls script function

application_to_run

application to run.

stdin_string

all that application can get from stdin (optional, use "" if stack is not empty)

log_file_name

file where to put app's stdout (optional, but use "" if stack is not empty)

window

output window handle

function

script function pointer

"wait" function

ExecDos::wait handle

Waits for process exit.

handle

Control thread handle returned by 'exec' call in the /ASYNC mode.

"isdone" function

ExecDos::isdone handle

checks thread is running. Returns 1 if application have exited, 0 if still running, -1 on error. /ASYNC mode only.

handle

Control thread handle returned by 'exec' call.

Example

Sync execution:

ExecDos::exec /TIMEOUT=2000 "$EXEDIR\consApp.exe" "test_login$\ntest_pwd$\n" "$EXEDIR\execdos.log"
Pop $0 # return value
MessageBox MB_OK "Exit code $0"

Async execution:

ExecDos::exec /NOUNLOAD /ASYNC "$EXEDIR\consApp.exe" "test_login$\ntest_pwd$\n" "$EXEDIR\execdos.log"
Pop $0 # thread handle for wait
# you can add some installation code here to execute while application is running.
ExecDos::wait $0
Pop $0 # return value
MessageBox MB_OK "Exit code $0"

BAT files specifics. On some of Win98 systems where "Close on exit" option is not set for DOS apps it was found

that after batch execution was finished (and installer continue it's job) hidden window still remains in the system

as "winoldapp". Following two lines solve the problem

@echo off
# place your code here
cls

Telnet and ssh Plug-in doesn't work with applications requiring terminal emulation.

/TOFUNC option and isdone function added by Afrow UK