Pexec in HiSoft Basic anyone?

[robv]

I need to call an external program from HiSoft Basic and return to the running program. According to the (not faultless) manual Gemdos FUNCTION Pexec() should do it.
This is as far as I get, strictly following the manual

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LIBRARY "gemdos" 
DEFINT a-z
mode = 0
prg$ = "mytool.ttp" + CHR$(0)
cmd$ = "my command" + CHR$(0)
env$ = CHR$(0) + CHR$(0)
x = FUNCTION pexec(mode, prg$, cmd$, env$)
PRINT x

This will give me a

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ERROR: 46 Expression syntax at LINE 7

Tried several variations, with or without null termination, without success.
Any HBASIC user who can help me out?

[lp]

Barely used HiSoft, but "FUNCTION" looks out of place, try:
x = pexec(mode, prg$, cmd$, env$)

[robv]

Thanks, that takes me one step further.

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LIBRARY "gemdos" 
REM $OPTION k50
DEFINT a-z
DECLARE FUNCTION pexec(mode, prg$, cmd$, env$)
mode = 0
prg$ = "E:\HBASIC\MYTOOL.TOS"
cmd$ = ""
env$ = ""
x = pexec(mode, prg$, cmd$, env$)

Now I can compile it, but get an error when running
Sub-program not present
Path is correct. Maybe the program does not get loaded?

[lp]

Don't know if the command internally adds the required nulls. If the null isn't added it might not see the path correctly. Try adding the null, it shouldn't hurt anything, since the string is passed via address.

[charles]

theres a hisoft pdf somewhere around here , very user friendily manual
its focus is for v 2 and from my use of h.s.basic or power basic or first basic is 2nd version is different from first

ill try to dig it up and show link or ill snap photo of my manual

Charles

[charles]

REM $option k100
REM $option !gy

DEFINT a-z

LIBRARY "gemaes","gemdos"

REM $include gemaes.bh

FUNCTION GetWholeEnvironment$
STATIC i,res$,a$
res$=""
i=1
DO
a$=ENVIRON$(i)
IF a$="" THEN EXIT LOOP
res$=res$+a$+CHR$(0)
INCR i
LOOP
GetWholeEnvironment$=res$
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION killpath$ (path$)
STATIC i,ch
i=LEN(path$)
DO
ch=ASC(MID$(path$,i,1))
IF ch="\"% OR ch=":"% THEN EXIT LOOP
IF i=1 THEN EXIT LOOP
DECR i
LOOP
killpath$=LEFT$(path$,i)
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION killname$ (path$)
STATIC i,ch,dummy$
i=LEN(path$)
DO
ch=ASC(MID$(path$,i,1))
IF ch="\"% OR ch=":"% THEN EXIT LOOP
IF i=1 THEN EXIT LOOP
DECR i
LOOP
dummy$=RIGHT$(path$,i)

i=LEN(dummy$)
DO
ch=ASC(MID$(dummy$,i,1))
IF ch="."% THEN EXIT LOOP
IF i=1 THEN EXIT LOOP
DECR i
LOOP
killname$=LEFT$(dummy$,i-1)+" "
END FUNCTION

SUB Execute(nname$,commline$)
SHARED menutree&
STATIC junk&,junk,curhandle,i,curtop
STATIC dummypath1$,dummypath2$,dummydrive,pe,mxprogs
STATIC WindX,WindY,WindW,WindH,cur_top

mxprogs=PEEKW(PEEKL(GB+4)+ap_count)
pe=0
IF mxprogs=-1 THEN pe=100

junk=wind_get (0,WF_WORKXYWH,WindX,WindY,WindW,WindH)
junk=wind_get (0,WF_TOP,cur_top,0,0,0)

dummypath1$=killpath$ (nname$)
dummypath2$=CURDIR$
dummydrive=dgetdrv

junk=dsetdrv (ASC(MID$(dummypath1$,1,1))-ASC("A"))
CHDIR dummypath1$

junk&=pexec&(pe,nname$,commline$,GetWholeEnvironment$)

junk=dsetdrv (dummydrive)
CHDIR dummypath2$

junk=wind_set (0,WF_TOP,cur_top,0,0,0)
form_dial FMD_FINISH,0,0,0,0,WindX,WindY,WindW,WindH

END SUB

SUB va_send (to$,commline$)
STATIC a$,a&,c$,c&,i,junk

a$=SPACE$(16) : a&=VARPTR(a$)
'c$="H:\MODS\INTRO.MOD"+CHR$(0) : c&=VARPTR(c$)
c$=commline$+CHR$(0) : c&=VARPTR(c$)

i=appl_find(to$)

IF i=-1 THEN junk=form_alert (1,"[1][ VA server not found! ][ OK ]")

IF i<>-1 THEN
POKEW a&,&H4711
POKEW a&+2,PEEKW(PEEKL(GB+4)+4)
POKEW a&+4,0
POKEL a&+6,c&
POKEW a&+10,0
appl_write i,16,a&
END IF
END SUB


SUB ViewFileMulti (filename$,comm$)
STATIC mxprogs,editorva$,junk

mxprogs=PEEKW(PEEKL(GB+4)+ap_count)

IF filename$="" THEN
junk=form_alert (1,"[1][ No editor set! ][ OK ]")
ELSE
IF mxprogs=-1 THEN
editorva$=killname$ (filename$)
IF appl_find (editorva$)<>-1 THEN ' ie program already running
CALL va_send (editorva$,comm$)
ELSE
CALL Execute (filename$,comm$)
END IF
ELSE
CALL Execute (filename$,comm$)
END IF
END IF

END SUB

a$="D:\EVEREST\EVEREST.PRG"
b$="C:\EMAIL.TXT"
CALL ViewFileMulti (a$,b$)
er=form_alert (1,"[1][ Finished ][ OK ]")
STOP -1

[lp]

Not sure what manual you are using, but mine says something about pexec() falling if the calling program doesn't leave the operating system enough free ram to execute the requested program.

[robv]

theres a hisoft pdf somewhere around here , very user friendily manual

I use the ones on dev-docs https://docs.dev-docs.org/htm/search.php?find=hisoft, probably the same.
Thanks to your elaborate example I found the problem. According to the manual the call is pexec%() but that won't work. However pexec&() does .
So the working code is

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LIBRARY "gemdos" 
REM $OPTION k50
mode = 0
prg$ = "E:\HBASIC\MYTOOL.TOS"
cmd$ = ""
env$ = ""
x& = pexec&(mode, prg$, cmd$, env$)

[robv]

Not sure what manual you are using, but mine says something about pexec() falling if the calling program doesn't leave the operating system enough free ram to execute the requested program.

True. HBasic has those weird compiler directives that look like remarks to take care of that. I use

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REM $OPTION k50

to limit the program to 50K and leave the rest to the system.
But, as stated above, the true problem was a misprint in the manual

[lp]

Well I would not have spotted the "%" versus "&" issue. Not sure what that even implies. The GFA manual also has it's share of quirks.

[charles]

and this is a great example on how every one should submit their code
because lost documents or misdirection leave use of programs clueless
but more importantly broadens user base making us a stronger collective.

[robv]

and this is a great example on how every one should submit their code
because lost documents or misdirection leave use of programs clueless
but more importantly broadens user base making us a stronger collective.

Agree. So here's another HiSoft Basic quirk I encountered:
Some calls in their Gemdos lib are defined as FUNCTION, others as SUB. You can call a function just by its name

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x&=pexec&(..)

But you can call a sub just by its name only when you're passing none or just one argument. If you need to pass more than one you need to add CALL.
This is the code I use now for calling a TOS program and redirecting its output to NULL (using fforce() ). Mode 100 means load, go, don't wait
http://toshyp.atari.org/en/00500b.html#Pexec

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LIBRARY "gemdos" 
REM $OPTION k50
DEFINT a-z
CALL fforce(1,-4)
mode = 100
prg$ = "gapftp.ttp"
cmd$ = "-s:minipos.ftp"
env$ = ""
x& = pexec&(mode, prg$, cmd$, env$)
PRINT "Ready!"

[czietz]

Be aware, though, that Pexec modes 100 and above are just available under multitasking operating systems (MagiC, maybe MiNT) and not under plain TOS.

[neanderthal]

Well I would not have spotted the "%" versus "&" issue. Not sure what that even implies. The GFA manual also has it share of quirks.

Is that a HSBasic sort of thing me wonders,I mean never done anything more than 'hello world' thingy in basic itself even if figured out how to do c-style asm calls some years back in HSBasic XD
Kinda neat trick btw.
Anywho,gets me to think of C and adresses with the &.

And about the REM thing,that sounds real odd to me that parameters of that kind is passed on as 'reminders' or whatever REM stands for?

[Playmobil]

The best way is : Coding in GFA-Basic !

[neanderthal]

The best way is : Coding in GFA-Basic !

Came to think of it,might have been GFA did the c-call thing in ??..Have to check the machine for that ..lol

[charles]

gfa did exec if I recall