Question

How to run DOS App From Delphi

Asked by: survedge

Hello,
I have a DOS application (console) that was developed in Fortran in 2006. The application is question driven. About 10-12 questions are asked. Once the program finishes the DOS console is closed are user is taken back to Windows. If changes are needed in the data file then user needs to enter everything again. It becomes very tedious by the second time around. Is there a way to run this application from Delphi? Meaning, being able to see what is asked and then answering, programatically, the questions being asked.

Thanks in advance.

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Asked On: 2009-08-07 at 11:23:00ID24635603
Tags: Delphi 2009
Topics: Delphi IDE
,; Delphi Components
Participating Experts: 2
Points: 500
Comments: 18

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Answers

by: gtworekPosted on 2009-08-07 at 11:35:13ID: 25045695

You may read DOS app output using this function:

  function RunDos(DosApp:String):string;
  const
     ReadBuffer = 2400;
  var
   Security : TSecurityAttributes;
   ReadPipe,WritePipe : THandle;
   start : TStartUpInfo;
   ProcessInfo : TProcessInformation;
   Buffer : Pchar;
   BytesRead : DWord;
   Apprunning : DWord;
  begin
   With Security do begin
    nlength := SizeOf(TSecurityAttributes) ;
    binherithandle := true;
    lpsecuritydescriptor := nil;
   end;
   if Createpipe (ReadPipe, WritePipe,
                  @Security, 0) then begin
    Buffer := AllocMem(ReadBuffer + 1) ;
    FillChar(Start,Sizeof(Start),#0) ;
    start.cb := SizeOf(start) ;
    start.hStdOutput := WritePipe;
    start.hStdInput := ReadPipe;
    start.hStdError := WritePipe;
    start.dwFlags := STARTF_USESTDHANDLES +
                         STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
    start.wShowWindow := SW_HIDE;
 
    if CreateProcess(nil,
           PChar(DosApp),
           @Security,
           @Security,
           true,
           NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS,
           nil,
           nil,
           start,
           ProcessInfo)
    then
    begin
     repeat
      Apprunning := WaitForSingleObject
                   (ProcessInfo.hProcess,100) ;
      Application.ProcessMessages;
     until (Apprunning <> WAIT_TIMEOUT) ;
 
if GetFileSize(ReadPipe,nil)=0
  then
    begin
    result:='-=No output=-'#13#10;
    end
  else
    begin
    result:='';
      Repeat
        BytesRead := 0;
        ReadFile(ReadPipe,Buffer[0], ReadBuffer,BytesRead,nil) ;
        Buffer[BytesRead]:= #0;
        OemToAnsi(Buffer,Buffer) ;
        Result := Result + String(Buffer) ;
      until (BytesRead < ReadBuffer) ;
    end;
   end;
   FreeMem(Buffer) ;
   CloseHandle(ProcessInfo.hProcess) ;
   CloseHandle(ProcessInfo.hThread) ;
   CloseHandle(ReadPipe) ;
   CloseHandle(WritePipe) ;
   end;
  end;

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by: 8080_DiverPosted on 2009-08-07 at 11:42:01ID: 25045762

That kind of depends on exactly what you mean by "Meaning, being able to see what is asked and then answering, programatically, the questions being asked."

If you mean, can you have a Delphi app emulate a user answering the questions, then the answer is most probably somewhere between "No." and "Not very easily or gracefully."

However, it is possible to initiate teh app from a Delphi app and then, if the data is stored in a file (of a reasonable nature ;-), bring the data up in the Delphi app for editing.

by: gtworekPosted on 2009-08-07 at 11:52:39ID: 25045843

8080_Diver: Why do you like to store output in file? It's better to redirect it to delphi app via pipes as I wrote in my sample.

by: 8080_DiverPosted on 2009-08-07 at 12:05:41ID: 25045952

@gtworek

For openers, I was entering my response while you were and you got there first (I, unfortunately, had to deal with a minor work ssue while I was typing ;-).

Then there is the point of the original poster's problem description which included the following "If changes are needed in the data file" . . . which, IMHO, indicates that the Fortran app is probably storing the results in a data file (but, hey, what do I know, right? ;-).

I was addressing the question based upon the information provided.

As for my liking to store output in a file, how the heck do you know what I like to do with data? FYI, I really prefer to put it in a database but, as previously stated, I was working with the situation as described.

Why is it that you seem to want to pipe the results into memory which could then lead to the data being entirely lost if something happens to the process (e.g. it throws an exception that is less than gracefully handled) or the computer (as in, it loses power) while you are processing the data? By letting the ForTran app do its thing and sace the data in a file and then letting the Delphi app open the file, if worse comes to worse, the Delphi app can always go back and open the file again without requiring the user to re-enter the responses (which, it seems to me, was the whole point of the original question ;-).

by: gtworekPosted on 2009-08-07 at 12:15:36ID: 25046019

Question was: "being able to see what is asked and then answering, programatically, the questions being asked"
If you think data can be lost you can save it from Delphi. There's no problem at all.
I know data can be written to a file, than app can read the file then create output file and so on...
But if you need run the child app and use their input and output - use pipes as described in http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365139(VS.85).aspx
There's no other good solution unless you have to play with cmd scripts.

by: 8080_DiverPosted on 2009-08-07 at 12:31:20ID: 25046153

As I originally stated, "Not very easily or gracefully." ;-)

by: survedgePosted on 2009-08-07 at 20:58:58ID: 25048273

Thank you for all responses...Now, to clear things up a bit, the DOS program processes data stored in a text file. This file has a specific format. The DOS program reads the data from the file, adjusts the data while using Least Squares adjustment and then saves the resuls to a completely different file (which my app will display). I will let the DOS program do its thing. I just want to automate the DOS app...make life easier...

Reason to be able to read whatever the DOS app displays...because the DOS app requires a dongle being attached to the LPT port to run. If dongle is missing app ends with a statement to that effect and waits for user input of CR...so I need to be able to catch that and let user know...Also, sometimes the data provided has errors in it and the DOS app will display those errors...again, I need to let the user know what is going on...

Anyhow, I will give a try to what gtworek suggested. I did have some pipes going but I kept running into something and had to shut down D9 every time I tried it.

Again, thank you for your input...much appreciated...

by: survedgePosted on 2009-08-07 at 21:57:21ID: 25048390

ok...I tried gtworek's function...issues with OemToAnsi (obsolete)..new function is OemToChar, but this function throws an error (E2010 Incompatible types: 'Char' and 'AnsiChar')...tried to fix but was unable...I ran my app with this line blocked....my app seems to do something, but my app does not want to close anymore until I terminate the DOS app through task manager...BTW, The function provided is very similar to that found in the D9 help document. I did not have any luck (immediate crash) with that one though...

Any ideas as to what I am doing wrong? Or what I need to do next?

Thx....

by: gtworekPosted on 2009-08-07 at 22:58:14ID: 25048510

You can remove this line. I'm from the country when strange letters are used and had to play with this in my function ;)

Your DOS app probably is waiting for something. Try to use this app normal way and observe what you have to do to close it. Then try to repeat it from delphi.

You can also prepare simple form with memo, edit and button. Then you can run child app and try to display his output in your memo and give him your edit as the input. This should verify communication witha DOS app is OK. If you are sure about this - we can think about automating interaction.

by: survedgePosted on 2009-08-09 at 09:41:40ID: 25054765

Did remove the line but the buffer gets filled up with strnage characters (look chinese)....Will try your suggestion...Thx...

by: survedgePosted on 2009-08-12 at 09:34:20ID: 25080339

No luck yet....Delphi app hangs when I try to ReadFile...Task manager does show both apps running (the DOS app and my app). I will continue trying...Thx all...

by: gtworekPosted on 2009-08-12 at 10:15:38ID: 25080718

I don't know your app but maybe it's waiting for something. Did you try with memo/edit control of you app?

by: survedgePosted on 2009-08-14 at 05:44:43ID: 25097368

So, I tried something else....somewhere in this site there is a discussion about showing a dow program running inside Delphi...I folloewd suggestions and was able to get the DOS app to show inside my Delphi app....A data button was created so I could feed info through the WritePipe...I do not see anything happening in the DOS app...what is interesting is that I can read from the ReadPipe right after I write to the WritePipe, but I am not able to read what is already there...I did notice the DOS app goes right into asking the useful questions...Now, I can run the DOS app from the command prompt and pipe everything to a text file. That works...the text file gets updated evrytime a questions is asked...so, I would run the DOS app from Delphi with the right piping option and I could read the text file through Delphi to find out what the question is...now the challenge is programmatically answering it...

I am sure I am taking loads of the reader's time and I apologize for that...

by: survedgePosted on 2009-08-14 at 10:40:04ID: 25100435

@8080 Diver:

To your initial comment, yes, Delphi emulating user answering questions. Thx...

by: survedgePosted on 2009-08-24 at 15:14:28ID: 25173109

Maybe this could be accomplished in C/C++...I have tried and tried in Delphi...time to move to C/C++....Thanks to all who contributed....

by: survedgePosted on 2009-08-26 at 07:48:36ID: 25188254

Visit

http://web.archive.org/web/20030813221623/http://www.froggy.com.au/andromeda/software/pushkeys/index.html

Found solution to what I was trying to achieve.....

by: gtworekPosted on 2009-08-26 at 07:52:37ID: 25188303

Great. And how do you read the result in your app after pushing keys?

by: survedgePosted on 2009-09-11 at 04:57:11ID: 25308478

I am working on the interface at this point. I will have to figure that one out once I get there...

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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How to run DOS App From Delphi

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