refresher...

[t0ddie]

i have a file in temp dir

FileInstall("help.txt",@tempDir & "\help.txt",1)

i want to view it but i know this wont work.

Run("Notepad.exe", "", @SW_MAXIMIZE)

and i know you cant run a .txt file

so i need a refresher.. how to open this file for the user?

[Danny35d]

Did you try this?

Run("Notepad.exe " & @TempDir & "\help.txt", "", @SW_MAXIMIZE)

[LxP]

It's probably wise to surround the file in double quotes in case the temporary path contains spaces:

Run('Notepad.exe "' & @TempDir & '\help.txt"', '', @SW_MAXIMIZE)

[MHz]

It's probably wise to surround the file in double quotes in case the temporary path contains spaces:

Run('Notepad.exe "' & @TempDir & '\help.txt"', '', @SW_MAXIMIZE)

@Tempdir and %temp% always use 8.3 filenames for the path.

[LxP]

Only if %Temp% is defined as an 8.3 path in the first place though, which should not be relied upon:

EnvSet('Temp', 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Temp')
MsgBox(0x40, 'Debug', EnvGet('Temp'))

This is just an example to show that there's no automatic conversion -- it's completely possible that a user may modify their %Temp% setting through a conventional means such as the appropriate dialogue under XP or perhaps AUTOEXEC.BAT under '98.

[MHz]

Only if %Temp% is defined as an 8.3 path in the first place though, which should not be relied upon:

EnvSet('Temp', 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Temp')
MsgBox(0x40, 'Debug', EnvGet('Temp'))

This is just an example to show that there's no automatic conversion -- it's completely possible that a user may modify their %Temp% setting through a conventional means such as the appropriate dialogue under XP or perhaps AUTOEXEC.BAT under '98.

Well, I can't say much for EnvSet() as it does not physically change the %temp% environmental variable and why someone would not use default?! But if you do check in your registy in XP, then you may see spaces in your temp variable but when you use the variable, it is 8.3 filename format. I do not currently have a 9x to test on, so cannot state otherwise there. You have mentioned a possible enough doubts to include quotes but if people choose the system defaults then they should be ok without, but there are those who like changing things just cause they can and just like it that way.

[LxP]

I can't argue that it's a very remote possibility but it's there nonetheless. One believable example I can foresee is if a user has an additional hard drive and wants to use that (perhaps their system drive is full or slow). They may generally store data on there so they may want a very clear name such as 'D:\Temporary Files'.

The fact that Windows allows for this is the problem here (I guess) but I just thought that I should mention it all for fear that such a case will arise. Like typical error checking most of the time it won't be necessary but it's nice to be running a script that can handle abnormal circumstances.

[Gene]

I can't argue that it's a very remote possibility but it's there nonetheless. One believable example I can foresee is if a user has an additional hard drive and wants to use that (perhaps their system drive is full or slow). They may generally store data on there so they may want a very clear name such as 'D:\Temporary Files'.

The fact that Windows allows for this is the problem here (I guess) but I just thought that I should mention it all for fear that such a case will arise. Like typical error checking most of the time it won't be necessary but it's nice to be running a script that can handle abnormal circumstances.

I for one have the OS on a small (5Gb) drive, consequently my TEMP folder is on another much larger drive and partition as "SysTemp". The same larger drive also has a "Prog" folder which has all the Program Files the installers gave me an option to put other than C:. Neither one of these has spaces, but they could have had. I try to keep an uptodate Ghost of C: and the larger drive is backed up to another machine, so that when either drive fails I will not be seriously inconvenienced.

Edit: Hopefully I will not be seriously inconvenienced.

Edited November 25, 2005 by Gene