DIR$ and Prompt mask

[Giuseppe Belziti]

When I use this routine for to verify if a folder exist:

ESIST$=DIR$("PCL",16)

the inconvenient is that the Prompt of MsDos appear for a little instant, and it's very tedious. How to avoid that the Prompt appear?
Thanks

[Chris Holbrook]

This might help, though I have not used it in the context you describe:

'----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Check to see whether a file or directory exists. Found on the PB forums.
FUNCTION IsDir(sObj AS STRING) AS DWORD
'   If not a 2, then not a dir at least not one you can use.
'   CASE 1: STDOUT "File"
'   CASE 2: STDOUT "Dir"
'   CASE 53: STDOUT "No such file/directory"
'   CASE 70: STDOUT "Permission denied"
'   CASE 75: STDOUT "No such volume"
#REGISTER NONE
    LOCAL dwAttr AS DWORD, lErr AS DWORD

    ERRCLEAR
    dwAttr = GETATTR(sObj)
    lErr = ERR
    ! mov eax, lErr ;Error
    ! Or eax, eax
    ! jne Done
    ! mov eax, dwAttr
    ! And eax, 16
    ! jz File
Dir:
    ! mov eax, 2 ;dir
    ! jmp Done
File:
    ! mov eax, 1 ;file
Done:
    ! mov Function, eax
END FUNCTION

[Kev Peel]

I have used DIR$ hundreds of times and have never seen that behaviour. There is no reason why a console would be displayed.

It sounds like you have a virus/adware or some program hooking the FindFirstFile API. I would do a virus scan or check add/remove programs for anything suspicious.

Unless you mean you have a DOS/PBCC program that calls DIR$

[Eric Pearson]

> I have used DIR$ hundreds of times and have never seen that behaviour.

Likewise.

[Michael Mattias]

' LATEST FUNCTION 8/26/03 THIS ONE WORKS
FUNCTION IsValidFolder (szPath AS ASCIIZ) AS LONG

  LOCAL  FA AS LONG

  FA         = GetFileAttributes(szPath)
  'MSGBOX "FA=" & HEX$(FA,8) & $CRLF & szPath
  IF FA = -1& THEN
      FUNCTION = 0
  ELSE
     FUNCTION = (FA AND %FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY) = %FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY
  END IF

END FUNCTION

[Giuseppe Belziti]

Excuse me, you be right.
I have notice that is te following row that give the problem, but why this problem appear when then folder PCL exist already?
When this folder exist, it don't should dysplay the Prompt.

ESIST$=DIR$("PCL",16)
[B]IF ESIST$<>"PCL" THEN SHELL"CMD /C MD PCL"[/B]

[Giuseppe Belziti]

OK all resolved.

ESIST$=DIR$("PCL",16)
IF ESIST$<>"PCL" THEN PID???=SHELL("CMD /C MD PCL",0)

I put 0 and the prompt don't appear.

Thanks to all

[Michael Mattias]

>IF EXIST$<>"PCL" THEN PID???=SHELL("CMD /C MD PCL",0)

Help file, MKDIR:

MKDIR (make directory) creates the subdirectory specified by path$. If you try to create a directory that already exists, a run-time Error 75 occurs ("Path/file access error"). If path$ includes an parent folder that does not exist, a run-time Error 76 occurs ("Path not found").

    ERRCLEAR
    MKDIR       "PCL"
    IF ERR = 75 THEN 
       "I don't care if MKDIR failed because it already exists"
   ELSEIF ERR <> 0 THEN
      " I **do** care that MKDIR failed"
   END IF

MCM
PS: Also no annoying "command-shell flash"

[StanHelton]

    ERRCLEAR
    MKDIR       "PCL"
    IF ERR = 75 THEN 
       "I don't care if MKDIR failed because it already exists"
   ELSEIF ERR <> 0 THEN
      " I **do** care that MKDIR failed"
   END IF

MCM

Mr. Mattias, I like that snippet, but how about this?

ERRCLEAR
MKDIR "PCL"
IF ERR = 75 THEN
   "I don't care either."
ELSEIF ERRCLEAR <> 0 THEN
   "I care AND I've cleared the error for the next mistake."
END IF

Stan

[Michael Mattias]

I continue to be amazed at the number of posts we see here where someone is using a SHELL to CMD.EXE or a *.BAT file to do something you can do in less than ten lines of 'native' PowerBASIC code.

MS-DOS must have had a powerful ability to cast a spell.

MCM

[Michael Mattias]

Too bad using ERRCLEAR that way means you can't report WHAT the error was, huh?

[Giuseppe Belziti]

I continue to be amazed at the number of posts we see here where someone is using a SHELL to CMD.EXE or a *.BAT file to do something you can do in less than ten lines of 'native' PowerBASIC code.

MS-DOS must have had a powerful ability to cast a spell.

MCM

We are borned with MsDos, and our istinct is to return at MsDos!

[Michael Mattias]

> We are borned with MsDos, and our istinct is to return at MsDos

Um, "MKDIR" and "ERR" have been included in every MS-DOS BASIC I've ever seen.

[Knuth Konrad]

Too bad using ERRCLEAR that way means you can't report WHAT the error was, huh?

That's the reason why TRY/END TRY is especially useful for such situations. From the help file

Because of the nesting requirements, the ERR value is local to the TRY structure. Upon exit, the prior ERR value is restored, so be sure to save the value of ERR if it will be needed outside of the TRY structure.

TRY
   MKDIR "PCL"
CATCH
   SELECT CASE ERR
   CASE IS <> 75
      "Problem here, watch out!"
   CASE ELSE
      "I don't care either."
   END SELECT
END TRY

Takes care of the error locally without tampering with the global ERR value.

[Cliff Nichols]

We are borned with MsDos, and our istinct is to return at MsDos!

Much like my ole' quote of:

"If it Can't be done in Windows....DOS it"

Even though supposedly not existing....to this day, show me a batch file, dos prompt, commandline, (properly coded of course) that does not work then as well as today?????

(Even Windows IT Mag is constantly showing code for something supposedly "Non-Existing" monthly in their magazine)

[Giuseppe Belziti]

> We are borned with MsDos, and our istinct is to return at MsDos

Um, "MKDIR" and "ERR" have been included in every MS-DOS BASIC I've ever seen.

Gwbasic too?

[Giuseppe Belziti]

"If it Can't be done in Windows....DOS it"

Much like my ole' quote of:
Even though supposedly not existing....to this day, show me a batch file, dos prompt, commandline, (properly coded of course) that does not work then as well as today?????

(Even Windows IT Mag is constantly showing code for something supposedly "Non-Existing" monthly in their magazine)

Great Cliff!