Re: CALL QP2SHELL variables

[Scott Klement <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Sean,

QP2SHELL is really just a wrapper around Qp2RunPase to simplify it.

In an interactive job, the ILE C stdio descriptors should map to the 
screen. In a batch job, they'll go to a spooled file, instead.

If you wish to use either the Qp2RunPase or QP2SHELL API, I would 
recommend setting up descriptors properly.  To do that, you should use 
the pipe() API to create at least 2 descriptors (maybe 3 if you want to 
keep stderr/stdout separate.)  Then use the spawn() API to create a new 
job where the proper end of the pipe is associated with the proper 
descriptors in the new job.

I do have an open source implementation of this spawn/pipe technique 
called "UNIXCMD", which also interfaces with an RPG SPECIAL file to make 
it as simple as possible.
http://www.scottklement.com/unixcmd

An IBMer named Tony Cairns also created one named popen that does the 
same thing -- though, unsurprisingly, I like mine better :-)
http://174.79.32.155/wiki/index.php/RPGpopen/RPGpopen

But, of course you can write it yourself using pipe/spawn, too.

Or, as I said in the last e-mail, you can simply call the QSH/STRQSH 
command instead of using QP2SHELL or Qp2RunPase.  STRQSH takes care of 
the pipes for you (but the disadvantage is you can't read the output 
directly into a program, you have to load it into a file first, then 
read the file.)

-SK


On 11/20/2012 1:00 PM, Porterfield, Sean wrote:
> Is the part below why I get a bunch of spooled files when I run an
> expect script?  (Despite your numerous emails telling me not to do it
> this way ;) )
>
> First time using expect on i, so of course I just copied my previous
> setup.  Good time for me to improve and follow your recommendations.
>
> Specifically, today is using Qp2RunPase from RPGLE rather than
> QP2SHELL from CL, but your warnings applied to that previously.
>
> --
> Sean Porterfield
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Scott Klement
> Sent: Monday, November 19, 2012 16:08
> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
> Subject: Re: CALL QP2SHELL variables
>
> Having said that -- I strongly discourage you from using QP2SHELL this way.  QP2SHELL does not create proper stdio descriptors (stdin, stdout,
> stderr) but rather uses whatever the calling job has set up.  In this environment, that's either "nothing", or "the ILE C ones".  Neither of these are threadsafe.
>
>
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