From: Tobias Reif <tobiasreif@...>
Date: 2002-05-29T22:58:12+09:00
Subject: Re: OS independent scripts, system calls on Windows and Linux

Nikodemus Siivola wrote:


> Ruby can hardly be a true mindreader, although it sometimes seems so.
> You want it to "know" that on Windows you want to pass you commands thru
> cmd.exe -- but it cannot know that you don't actually want to use that
> cygwin bash shell...


It seems as if there might be possibilities for some sensible default 
behaviour (per default, use the "DOS prompt" on Windows, and sniff the 
cms.exe or command.com; stuff like http://ruby-talk.com/9739 ), with 
options to change the default behaviour.

Anyways:


> If you want to use ruby as a portable scripting tool, you
> have to limit yourself to ruby-builtins (ie. File.delete "foo.txt")
> for system manipulations, and to running portable programs:
> not identical commands, but programs.


OK, that would be sufficient for my current task.

I have Java installed (put in in the system path) on Lin and Win; I can 
not call it from Ruby on WinME (last para in 
http://www.ruby-talk.com/41294 ).

Could Ruby be improved in this regard (even if this issue is caused by 
highly quirky WinME internals?)(~: ask the DOS shell where the program 
(eg Java) is located)?


> For checking program success it seems that you cannot trivially access
> it's stderr on all platforms


Perhaps there's room for improvement?

For example...

> (untill there is a portable open3.rb, at
> least)


This seems to be higly desirable; perhaps you want to write an RCR for 
that? I think we all want the same: better scripting across OSes.


> system "program -lot -of -flags" || raise "program failed"


is that the same as Nobu's

system(*command) or exit 1

?


Tobi


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