How to hide DOS-app under NT

[Semen Matusovski]

I want to start hidden MS-DOS app (not PB/CC module, where it possible to change byte 221).
Under 9x - question is solved by generating the pif-file.
But what to do under NT ?
During execution console window is not visible, because PB dialog has TOPMOST style and covers whole screen.
But when Shell starts, during short period appears black screen.

I tried AllocConsole. Black screen disappeared, but it's not possible to close console window by usual way (I mean
hConsole = GetStdHandle(%STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE) ...
CloseHandle hConsole: FreeConsole).
I think, MS-DOS changes owner of window.

Any ideas ?

[Eric Pearson]

Semen --

The new version of CWC, which will be released with the new version of Console Tools (probably late next week) now works with DOS programs as well as console apps. So you could use CWC to launch your hidden DOS program. (I think you'll be happy with some of the other improvements we've added to Console Tools. Stay tuned to the Third Party forum for an announcement...)

But remember that DOS programs can't perform operations like showing themselves, so once you launch a DOS app as hidden, it will stay that way. Unless, that is, you use our new DOSBox Tools product. DOSBox Tools will allow your PB/DOS app to perform its own "ConsoleWindow %SHOW" operation, as well as several other cool things. We expect to release DOSBox Tools in about 2-3 weeks.

-- Eric


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Perfect Sync: Perfect Sync Development Tools
Email: mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>



[This message has been edited by Eric Pearson (edited April 28, 2000).]

[Semen Matusovski]

Eric --
good news. But I'll try to explain more detail.

I make Self-Exe setup. Header - Pb/Dll module.
Internals - Cab file with distributive.
I need to extract files.
There are some dlls, which can do this work, but they are too big.
Better to use Setup Api (I guess http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/ps...upapi_61bo.htm
), but I don't understand parameters 3-4 and have no samples.
(perhaps, somebody can help ?).

I found that extract.exe is 15 Kb only and wanted to use it exactly because of small size. But this is ms-dos app and I have troubles with it's window.

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[Eric Pearson]

Semen --

IMO, using the DLL would be a much better choice than a hidden DOS app.

> but I don't understand parameters 3-4 and have
> no samples. (perhaps, somebody can help ?).

Here is a Knowledge Base article titled "HOWTO: Use the SetupAPI's SetupIterateCabinet() Function":

http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q189/0/85.ASP

MSDN can supply you with other samples and narratives, too. Just go to...

http://search.microsoft.com/us/dev/default.asp

...make sure you check the "Additional Developer Content" box, and search for "SetupIterateCabinet".

-- Eric

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Perfect Sync: Perfect Sync Development Tools
Email: mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

[Semen Matusovski]

Thanks, Eric. It's exactly, what I need.
But there is stupid problem.

I translated

BOOL SetupIterateCabinet(
    PCTSTR CabinetFile,	// name of the cabinet file
    DWORD Reserved,	// this parameter is not used
    PSP_FILE_CALLBACK MsgHandler,	// callback routine to use
    PVOID Context	// callback routine context
   );

as

    Declare Function SetupIterateCabinet Lib "SetupApi.Dll" Alias "SetupIterateCabinetA" _
       (CabinetFile As Asciiz, Nothing As Dword, MsgHandler As Long, hContext As Long) As Long

and made following function
Function CabinetCallback (pMyInstallData As Long, _
Notification As Dword, Param1 As Dword, Param2 As Dword) As Long
(with ByVal and w/o)

Try to execute:
SetupIterateCabinet "C:\PbSfx\Polus.Cab", 0, ByVal CodePtr(CabinetCallback), 0

Function returns zero. GetLastError also (!). In CallBack function no one message.
What I am doing wrong ? (I tried different cabinets)
(probably, in declarations)


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[jcfuller]

Semen
BYVAL Nothing AS DWORD ??

James


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[Semen Matusovski]

James -
what do you mean ?
(I tried with and w/o ByVal, Dword and Long, another name than Nothing; even 3 parameteres only)

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[Lance Edmonds]

James means that the correct translation of that parameter into PB code would mean that the second parameter should be passed BYVAL to the function. Whether you use that parameter or just pass %NULL (0) is up to you, but it is wise to get the declaration correct in the first place.


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Lance
PowerBASIC Support
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

[Semen Matusovski]

Lance --
I tried ByVal - GPF.
May be PCTSTR is not Asciiz ?
For another functions (translated in Win32Api.Inc As Asciiz) I see LPCTSTR in Win32.Hlp


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[Eric Pearson]

PCTSTR CabinetFile, // name of the cabinet file
DWORD Reserved,     // this parameter is not used
PSP_FILE_CALLBACK MsgHandler,       // callback routine to use
PVOID Context       // callback routine context

Off the top of my head, I would expect that to translate to...

CabinetFile AS ASCIIZ, _
BYVAL Nothing AS DWORD, _
BYVAL MsgHandler AS LONG,_   'a CODEPTR value
BYVAL Context AS LONG

It may be that the second and/or fourth param must be called with BYVAL 0. (?)

-- Eric

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Perfect Sync: Perfect Sync Development Tools
Email: mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

[Semen Matusovski]

Eric --
I tried this variant. But any attempt ByVal for second parameter - GPF.
In documentation:
If the function succeeds, the return value is TRUE.
If the function fails, the return value is FALSE. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

I have 0 twice. And I tested in different OSes (95b & 2000).
Can't understand, where I'm wrong.

     #Compile Exe
     #Register None
     #Dim All
     #Include "Win32Api.Inc"

     Type FILE_IN_CABINET_INFO
        NameInCabinet As Asciiz Ptr
        FileSize As Dword
        Win32Error As Dword
        DosDate As Word
        DosTime As Word
        DosAttribs As Word
        FullTargetName As Asciiz * %MAX_PATH
    End Type

    Declare Function SetupIterateCabinet Lib "SetupApi.Dll" Alias "SetupIterateCabinetA" _
       (CabinetFile As Asciiz, Reserved As Dword, ByVal MsgHandler As Long, ByVal hContext As Long) As Long

    Function CabinetCallback (pMyInstallData As Long, _
       Notification As Dword, Param1 As Dword, Param2 As Dword) As Long


       %SPFILENOTIFY_FILEINCABINET  = &H00000011
       %SPFILENOTIFY_FILEEXTRACTED  = &H00000013

       Dim RetVal As Long
       Dim szTarget As Asciiz * %MAX_PATH
       Dim pInfo As FILE_IN_CABINET_INFO Ptr

       RetVal = 0 ' NO_ERROR
       Select Case Notification
          Case %SPFILENOTIFY_FILEINCABINET
            pInfo = Param1
            MsgBox @[email protected]
            @pInfo.FullTargetName = @[email protected]
            Function = 1 ' FILEOP_DOIT (Extract the file)
         Case %SPFILENOTIFY_FILEEXTRACTED:
            'pFilePaths = (FILEPATHS *)Param1;
            'printf ( "Extracted %s\n",pFilePaths->Target);
       End Select
       Function = RetVal
    End Function

    Function PbMain     
      MsgBox Str$(SetupIterateCabinet ("C:\PbSfx\Polus.Cab", 0, CodePtr(CabinetCallback), 0))
      MsgBox Str$(GetLastError)
   
    End Function

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[This message has been edited by Semen Matusovski (edited April 28, 2000).]

[Florent Heyworth]

Hi Semen

the following works - you needed a BYVAL for the Reserved parameter as well as BYVALs for the callback function:

#COMPILE EXE
#REGISTER NONE
#DIM ALL
#INCLUDE "Win32Api.Inc"

TYPE FILE_IN_CABINET_INFO
    NameInCabinet AS ASCIIZ PTR
    FileSize AS DWORD
    Win32Error AS DWORD
    DosDate AS WORD
    DosTime AS WORD
    DosAttribs AS WORD
    FullTargetName AS ASCIIZ * %MAX_PATH
END TYPE

DECLARE FUNCTION SetupIterateCabinet LIB "SetupApi.Dll" ALIAS "SetupIterateCabinetA" _
(szCabinetFile AS ASCIIZ, BYVAL Reserved AS DWORD, BYVAL MsgHandler AS LONG, BYVAL hContext AS LONG) AS LONG

FUNCTION CabinetCallback (BYVAL pMyInstallData AS LONG, _
BYVAL Notification AS DWORD, BYVAL Param1 AS DWORD, BYVAL Param2 AS DWORD) AS LONG


    %SPFILENOTIFY_FILEINCABINET  = &H00000011
    %SPFILENOTIFY_FILEEXTRACTED  = &H00000013

    DIM RetVal AS LONG
    DIM szTarget AS ASCIIZ * %MAX_PATH
    DIM pInfo AS FILE_IN_CABINET_INFO PTR

    RetVal = 0 ' NO_ERROR
    SELECT CASE Notification
        CASE %SPFILENOTIFY_FILEINCABINET
            pInfo = Param1
            MSGBOX @[email protected]
            @pInfo.FullTargetName = @[email protected]
            FUNCTION = 1 ' FILEOP_DOIT (Extract the file)
         CASE %SPFILENOTIFY_FILEEXTRACTED:
            'pFilePaths = (FILEPATHS *)Param1;
            'printf ( "Extracted %s\n",pFilePaths->Target);
    END SELECT
    FUNCTION = RetVal
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION PBMAIN
    
    
    MSGBOX STR$(SetupIterateCabinet ( "C:\winnt\help\common\alpha.Cab", 0&, CODEPTR(CabinetCallback), 0) )
    MSGBOX STR$(GetLastError)

END FUNCTION

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[Semen Matusovski]

Florent --
I should you a wagon of beer.


[This message has been edited by Semen Matusovski (edited April 28, 2000).]

[Florent Heyworth]

With pleasure

Cheers

Florent

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