Difference between Exec and nsExec

Hello,

I'm trying to run an executable using nsExec. The run always ends in an error that indicates an executable-related error.

nsExec::ExecToLog '"myapp.exe"'

I can run the same executable using Exec without a problem.

Exec '"myapp.exe"'

Thinking that the environment may be the issue, I've tried:

nsExec::ExecToLog '<path_to_cmd.exe> /C "myapp.exe"'

to no avail. This problem seems to point to differences in how nsExec and Exec work but I don't know what they are. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Mike

nsexec was written for command line apps. With nsexec::ExecToLog you can capture the outpu of the app and display it in the result window.
As far as i know it doesn't support live output as used by programs like rar.

myapp.exe is a command line app:

c:\>myapp.exe

Writes to cmd.exe window and terminates.

Something like this should work:

!define LogFile "$INSTDIR\myapp_dump.txt"

Push $R0

 ReadEnvStr $R0 COMSPEC

 nsExec::Exec '$R0 /C "$INSTDIR\myapp.exe" > "${LogFile}"'

 FileOpen $R0 "${LogFile}" r

  LoopRead:

   ClearErrors

   FileRead $R0 $R1

    IfErrors LoopDone

    Push $R1

     Call TrimNewLines

    Pop $R1

   DetailPrint $R1

   Goto LoopRead

  LoopDone:

 FileClose $R0

Pop $R0

SetDetailsPrint none

 Delete "${LogFile}"

SetDetailsPrint both

That would be another method of capturing the output.
Note that nsExec::Exec will run your application and hide it completely from the user (so the user will not see a command-prompt window.)

-Stu

Thanks for the script but this doesn't really answer my question. I'm not looking for more error output from the nsExec run. The 'nsExec::ExecToLog' does write the errors to the result window. My question is: why would *any* command line program run to completion using:

Exec '"myapp.exe"'

but fail using:

nsExec::ExecToLog '"myapp.exe"'


I'll be more specific now: the app I'm trying to run is Microsoft's Baseline Security Analyzer utility: mbsacli.exe. The error I get seem to be network-related - 'no computer were found'.

Well, as nsExec doesn't execute your program through COMSPEC then perhaps that's why it is failing. Maybe you have to run it through COMSPEC for it to work?

-Stu

Windows MS DOS (console) window is a bit more complex then a process with stdin and stdout only. Simple console applications work fine with nsExec, but some apps require more - terminal emulation or something else (like telnet does). This may be a reason, Exec creates full MS DOS console window, but nsExec simply redirects IO to pipes. You can also try ExecWait with SW_HIDE.

You can also try ExecWait with SW_HIDE.

does execwait support window state parameters like SW_HIDE ?

from the nsis docs:

command [user_var(exit code)]

as i need to run a cmd-program in a loop, i need to get the installer wait until it has finished, but also to execute it in the backround without popping up the shell window everytime.

does nsExec::Exec do this, or is it possible to use SW_HIDE with ExecWait?

Yes, you are right, I probably had in mind ExecShell. IMHO one of DOS-exec plug-ins is a good decision in your situation.

It always complains about being unable to create a scan object for me. Can you attach a complete example for which you get the error you're talking about?