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old DOS batch script problem

Started by speciesUnknown Mar 30, 2009 at 3:22 PM 4 replies 1k views

Original Post

Mar 30, 2009 at 3:22 PM

Im trying to use a batch script as a pre-build step for VS, when building my game. Here is the code I use to compile my level format: actopf cityscape_huge.ac cityscape actobr household_objects.ac household_objects actobr street_objects.ac street_objects actobr test_objects.ac test_objects Each of these is a seperate line in a .bat file. The problem is, whichever line I put first is the only line to execute, the interpreter executes them and then silently exits. I know that each of those executables (actopf and actobr) are correct and functioning, since any single line of this program runs as expected. Is there something I missed here?

LessBread

Mar 30, 2009 at 3:30 PM

Inject some other commands in there and see what happens e.g. dir, cd, ipconfig.

speciesUnknown

Mar 30, 2009 at 3:37 PM

a helpful soul on #gamedev suggested this:
start actobr household_objects.ac household_objects start actobr street_objects.ac street_objects start actobr test_objects.ac test_objects start actopf cityscape_huge.ac cityscape

which launches 4 instances of cmd.exe in the terminal emulator, which do not close. Somebody else suggested this:

start /b actobr household_objects.ac household_objects
start /b actobr street_objects.ac street_objects
start /b actobr test_objects.ac test_objects
start /b actopf cityscape_huge.ac cityscape

Which gives me nested instances of cmd.exe and powershell.exe.

Perhaps I should have stated at the start that im starting this script from powershell; I thought it would start an instance of cmd.exe when given a .bat file?

speciesUnknown

Mar 30, 2009 at 3:47 PM

Quote:
Original post by LessBread
Inject some other commands in there and see what happens e.g. dir, cd, ipconfig.

same result; first line executes, the rest is ignored.

If a built in command such as dir/ls, ipconfig, etc is uses, the interpreter will run up to the first of the original 4 lines. then, it will run that line and exit.

LessBread

Mar 30, 2009 at 3:48 PM

Double-clicking a bat file on the desktop spawns cmd.exe.

I'm not familiar with powershell.

"start /?" provides info on cmd spawning.

speciesUnknown

Mar 30, 2009 at 4:01 PM

It works!

The problem was that actobr and actopf were not exes - they were .bat files themselves, which were pointing to exes of the same name. the solution was to change each line to cmd /s :

cmd /c actobr household_objects.ac household_objects cmd /c actobr street_objects.ac street_objects cmd /c actobr test_objects.ac test_objects cmd /c actopf cityscape_huge.ac cityscape

The location of actopf.bat and actobr.bat was in a folder which I added to my $PATH, while the location of the exes they delegated to was in the build folder of my toolset projects.

I now remember my attempts to get symlinks to work, which met with failure (there is a forum post here somewhere)

Thanks for all your help.

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