Re: [despammed] Re: [Bug-XBoard] Fw: [BATCH WORLD] This batch file runs on win2000 but not on win98

[Tim Mann]

On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 10:36:18 +0100, "srivastava" <address@hidden> wrote:
> Hi TIm,
> 
> The problem is that following batch file generated by Tourney.exe [Jori's
> Tourney Manager] does not run on win98 but runs on win2000 and winxp.
> 
> d:\progra~1\winboard\winboard.exe  /xponder /cp /mg 1 /sgf=g1.PGN /tc 0:30
> /inc 5 /mps 0 /clock /thinking /xlegal /fd=Engines\TheKing /fcp='Alekhine
> "TheKingEngine cm_parm opp=104 opn=104 opb=104 opr=104 opq=104 myp=104
> myn=104 myb=107 myr=104 myq=104 mycc=105 mymob=120 myks=100 mypp=105 mypw=91
> opcc=105 opmob=120 opks=100 oppp=105 oppw=91 cfd=300 sop=100 avd=-25 rnd=0
> sel=9 md=99 tts=33554432"' /sd=Engines\TheKing /scp='Anand "TheKingEngine
> cm_parm opp=93 opn=93 opb=93 opr=93 opq=93 myp=93 myn=93 myb=93 myr=93
> myq=93 mycc=107 mymob=128 myks=107 mypp=117 mypw=107 opcc=107 opmob=128
> opks=107 oppp=117 oppw=107 cfd=150 sop=100 avd=-15 rnd=0 sel=9 md=99
> tts=33554432"'  /debug /xexit /xpopup /autoflag
> 
> However, when I shorten the length [by removing some of the options that I
> am passing to theking], it runs even on win98.
> 
> I have taken a discussion on batchworld mailing list and the outcome of the
> discussion was forwarded to you.

But you did not forward the details of the discussion as you said you
would and as I asked you to.  You simply present the conclusion of some
so-called experts (whom I know nothing about) as authoritative, without
even giving their reasoning.

> Experts on batchworld believe that the problem is with winboard.exe not with
> command.com and you feel other way around.

What makes these people so expert that if they disagree with me, they
are automatically right and I am automatically wrong?  Sorry, but they
are simply wrong, no matter how expert they or you think they are.

I can't point out for sure where these "experts" went wrong in their
thinking or experiments, because you failed to provide me with the
details of your discussion with them.  You just gave me the final
message.  A lot of context is missing from that message, but it looks as
if the "experts" concluded that because command.com echoes the entire
long line, it must have passed it to winboard without cutting any of it
off.  However, the result I get when I try a batch file that contains a
long line on my Windows 98SE machine is that command.com echoes the
entire long line, prints "Bad command or file name", and does not run
the program named on that command line *at all*.

> I am not a computer expert

I am.  Check my CV on http://tim-mann.org/cv.html if you would like to
see some of my qualifications.  I'm normally too modest to point them
out, but you seem to set great store by the "expertise" of the other
folks you've talked to, so I'm doing it in self-defense.  :-)

> but this puzzles me why it doesn't run on win98 and why it runs on win 2000.

Win98 uses an extended 16-bit DOS program called command.com as its
shell.  Win2000 uses very different 32-bit program called cmd.exe.  It
doesn't puzzle me at all that command.com has more limitations than
cmd.exe.

> I downloaded win95cmd.exe on my win98 machine. When I run this batch file
> through win98cmd.exe, it runs even on win98.

That makes it even more clear that the problem is with command.com.  

> What is the solution and where is the real problem? This is my worry.

Clearly the problem is that Windows 98 command.com won't execute such a
long line from a batch file.  There are at least two solutions:

1) The solution you already found: Use the win95cmd.exe or win98cmd.exe
program that you downloaded to run your batch file.

  or

2) Write the super long command line to a separate file and use
winboard's "@" feature to load this file from the command line.  That
is, you would put the following in a file called (say) indirect.txt:

/xponder /cp /mg 1 /sgf=g1.PGN /tc 0:30
/inc 5 /mps 0 /clock /thinking /xlegal /fd=Engines\TheKing /fcp='Alekhine
"TheKingEngine cm_parm opp=104 opn=104 opb=104 opr=104 opq=104 myp=104
myn=104 myb=107 myr=104 myq=104 mycc=105 mymob=120 myks=100 mypp=105 mypw=91
opcc=105 opmob=120 opks=100 oppp=105 oppw=91 cfd=300 sop=100 avd=-25 rnd=0
sel=9 md=99 tts=33554432"' /sd=Engines\TheKing /scp='Anand "TheKingEngine
cm_parm opp=93 opn=93 opb=93 opr=93 opq=93 myp=93 myn=93 myb=93 myr=93
myq=93 mycc=107 mymob=128 myks=107 mypp=117 mypw=107 opcc=107 opmob=128
opks=107 oppp=117 oppw=107 cfd=150 sop=100 avd=-15 rnd=0 sel=9 md=99
tts=33554432"'  /debug /xexit /xpopup /autoflag

  and invoke winboard this way:

d:\progra~1\winboard\winboard.exe @indirect.txt


> Best regards
> Dr. Kailash N. Srivastava
> Bangatan 3D
> SE-72228 Vasteras
> Sweden
> Telephone: +46-21-133803 (Residence)
> Email: address@hidden
> 
> On Saturday, February 28, 2004 7:51 PM [GMT+1=CET],
> Tim Mann <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> > That makes no sense to me.  There is only one winboard.exe, not one
> > for
> > Windows 98 and one for Windows 2000.  If it works on Windows 2000 but
> > not on Windows 98, I don't see how it can be the fault of WinBoard.
> > WinBoard simply parses the command line that Windows passes to it.
> >
> > If you want to convince me that there is in fact some problem with
> > winboard.exe, then you will definitely have to give me all the
> > details.
> > I can't make any sense of the partial message you've forwarded.
> >
> > On Sat, 28 Feb 2004 18:23:25 +0100, "srivastava"
> > <address@hidden> wrote:
> >> Hi Tim,
> >> I have already discussed this matter and you pointed the problem to
> >> command.com. It is not the problem with command.com but winboard.exe.
> >>
> >> If you so desire, I can provide you all the details.
> >>
> >> Regards
> >> Kailash Srivastava
> >>
> >> On Saturday, February 28, 2004 11:05 AM [GMT+1=CET],
> >> Michael Marquart
> >> <address@hidden>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> On stardate Sat, 28 Feb 2004 10:36:29 +0100, while visiting Deep
> >>> Space 9, the changeling Founder
> >>> address@hidden spake thusly:
> >>>
> >>>> On Saturday, February 28, 2004 1:17 AM [GMT+1=CET],
> >>>> Michael Marquart
> >>>> <> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> "start /wait d:\progra~1\winboard\winboard.exe  /xponder /cp /mg 1
> >>>> [snip] /autoflag end"
> >>>>
> >>>> I did exactly the way you asked me and I got the above.
> >>>
> >>> Ok.  You can see that it finishes with end" and so the entire 700+
> >>> character line is being parsed by the batch file correctly and
> >>> echoed to the screen.  It is not cutting off the line at 255
> >>> characters, which I had thought might be the problem.
> >>>
> >>> This seems to indicate that the problem is not with command.com but
> >>> with winboard.exe under Win9x, and that aspect might be unfixable,
> >>> except by the winboard author.
> >>>
> >>> What exactly happens/appears on the screen when WB Tourney Manager
> >>> creates the batch file and tries to run it?
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Bug-XBoard mailing list
> >> address@hidden
> >> http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-xboard
> 


-- 
Tim Mann  address@hidden  http://tim-mann.org/