Using Macro to Automate compiling of Perl Script Files

[clickfast]

I need to automate the process of compiling perl scripts into binary executables. I have perl running on XP and can manually compile perl scripts just fine... but i want to automate the process.

I do it manually by;
1) going to start>run and typing cmd.exe (going to command prompt)
2) CD c:\perl\bin (changing to Perl\bin directory)
then typing
3) pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl (the perl compiler command)

and it compiles my sourfile.pl into into an executable.

All I want to do is automate those steps in Macroscreduler. Here's what I tried and it didn't work! ;-(

Code: Select all

runprogram>c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe -c:\perl\bin -pp -o compiledscript.exe sourcescript.pl

Anyhelp here is MUCH APPRECIATED!!!!!

[Me_again]

Try:

Change Directory>c:\perl\bin
Run Program>cmd /c pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl

or maybe you need quotes:

Change Directory>c:\perl\bin
Run Program>cmd /c "pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl"

If you want the command window to stay open use /k instead of /c

[clickfast]

I tried both methods below... and it doesn't work... ;-(...

I will keep tweaking to see what I can come up with...

Thanks!

Try:

Change Directory>c:\perl\bin
Run Program>cmd /c pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl

or maybe you need quotes:

Change Directory>c:\perl\bin
Run Program>cmd /c "pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl"

If you want the command window to stay open use /k instead of /c

[Marcus Tettmar]

You need multiple commands within the DOS session. Looks like it needs the directory changed to c:\perl\bin but doing that with ChangeDirectory won't affect where the CMD opens. The CD needs to be inside CMD. So the best solution is to use a bat file. We could create a temporary one on the fly:

WriteLn>%TEMP_DIR%\tmp.bat,r,CD c:\perl\bin
WriteLn>%TEMP_DIR%\tmp.bat,r,pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl
Let>RP_WAIT=1
Run>%TEMP_DIR%\tmp.bat
DeleteFile>%TEMP_DIR%\tmp.bat

If the commands/parms never change you could have a pre-written bat file, but writing it on the fly is necessary if any part of it differs from one execution to the next - e.g. sourcefile.pl could be a variable:

WriteLn>%TEMP_DIR%\tmp.bat,r,CD c:\perl\bin
WriteLn>%TEMP_DIR%\tmp.bat,r,pp -o compiledfile.exe %sourcefile%
Let>RP_WAIT=1
Run>%TEMP_DIR%\tmp.bat
DeleteFile>%TEMP_DIR%\tmp.bat

[Me_again]

Looks like it needs the directory changed to c:\perl\bin but doing that with ChangeDirectory won't affect where the CMD opens.

Could you explain that a bit please? I'm pretty sure I have used that method to resolve a similar working dir problem, and I tested it last night before posting. If it doesn't actually change the working directory then the dir shown in the command window is very misleading:

[Marcus Tettmar]

You're right. I just tried it again and it works. Well, my suggestion may be worth a try in this case anyway, as the OP said that changing directory prior to running CMD didn't work in this case.

[Me_again]

I'm not sure that PP is a regular .exe so maybe this is an Execute File thing?

[clickfast]

As usual... little mistake...

Try:

Change Directory>c:\perl\bin
Run Program>cmd /c pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl

or maybe you need quotes:

Change Directory>c:\perl\bin
Run Program>cmd /c "pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl"

If you want the command window to stay open use /k instead of /c

The cmd switch /c is required to be a capital /C... here's the working code

Code: Select all

Change Directory>c:\perl\bin
Run Program>cmd /C pp -o compiledfile.exe sourcefile.pl

[Me_again]

Glad you got it working. That is strange though, it works for me with /c, and microsoft shows lower case in their cmd.exe information http://www.microsoft.com/resources/docu ... x?mfr=true

[Marcus Tettmar]

Yeh, that IS weird.