[Solved] Unable to read stream when Run opt flag is BitOR($STDIN_CHILD, $STDOUT_CHILD)

[EmilyLove]

So I am trying to make a GUI for a console application. I need to be able to both read and write data to and from the console application's stream. Problem is, if I try to set the Run opt flag as BitOR($STDIN_CHILD, $STDOUT_CHILD), then I can't read the stream but I can write. I've also tried running as admin, it doesn't seem to help. There is no error reported, it just continues silently. I think this is a bug?

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#include <Array.au3>
#include <ButtonConstants.au3>
#include <ComboConstants.au3>
#include <EditConstants.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <GUIListBox.au3>
#include <StaticConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
Global $iPID_NetCat = Null
DirCreate(@TempDir & "\BetaLeaf Software\NetCat Tool\")
If @OSArch = "X64" Then
    Global $sEXE_FileName = "nc64.exe"
    FileInstall("nc64.exe", @TempDir & "\BetaLeaf Software\NetCat Tool\nc64.exe")
Else
    Global $sEXE_FileName = "nc.exe"
    FileInstall("nc.exe", @TempDir & "\BetaLeaf Software\NetCat Tool\nc.exe")
EndIf
#Region ### START Koda GUI section ### Form=
$Form = GUICreate("NetCat Tool", 364, 254, 192, 124)
$Label_SwitchConnectionSettings = GUICtrlCreateGroup("NetCat Connection Settings", 4, 0, 185, 100, BitOR($GUI_SS_DEFAULT_GROUP, $BS_CENTER))
$label_IPAddress = GUICtrlCreateLabel("IP Address", 8, 21, 55, 17, $SS_CENTER)
$input_IPAddress = GUICtrlCreateInput("192.168.86.25", 80, 19, 100, 21, BitOR($GUI_SS_DEFAULT_INPUT, $ES_CENTER))
GUICtrlSetLimit($input_IPAddress, 15)
GUICtrlSetTip($input_IPAddress, "Example: 192.168.0.21")
$label_Port = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Port", 8, 48, 23, 17, $SS_CENTER)
$input_Port = GUICtrlCreateInput("", 80, 45, 100, 21, BitOR($GUI_SS_DEFAULT_INPUT, $ES_CENTER))
GUICtrlSetLimit($input_Port, 5)
GUICtrlSetTip($input_Port, "A port between 1-65535")
$Label_ConnectionStatus = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Connection Status: Not Connected", 12, 73, 169, 17)
GUICtrlSetColor($Label_ConnectionStatus, 0xFF0000)
GUICtrlCreateGroup("", -99, -99, 1, 1)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)
#EndRegion ### END Koda GUI section ###
AdlibRegister("_AutoConnect", 250)
While 1
    $nMsg = GUIGetMsg()
    Switch $nMsg
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
    EndSwitch
WEnd

Func _AutoConnect()
    If $iPID_NetCat = Null Then
        ConsoleWrite("Starting..." & @CRLF)
        $iPID_NetCat = Run($sEXE_FileName & " " & GUICtrlRead($input_IPAddress) & " " & GUICtrlRead($input_Port), @TempDir & "\BetaLeaf Software\NetCat Tool\", @SW_HIDE, BitOR($STDIN_CHILD, $STDOUT_CHILD))
        GUICtrlSetData($Label_ConnectionStatus, "Connection Status: Connecting...")
        GUICtrlSetColor($Label_ConnectionStatus, 0x0000ff)
        $timer = TimerInit()
        ConsoleWrite("Connecting..." & @CRLF)
        Do
            Sleep(1000)
            Local $vData = StdoutRead($iPID_NetCat)
            If @error Then ConsoleWrite("[ERROR]" & @error & "," & @extended & @CRLF)
            If @extended Then ConsoleWrite("[INFO]" & @extended & @CRLF)
            ConsoleWrite("[UPDATE]" & @CRLF & $vData & @CRLF)
            If StringInStr($vData, "Welcome to netcat!") Then ExitLoop
        Until TimerDiff($timer) > 16000
        If ProcessExists($sEXE_FileName) Then
            GUICtrlSetData($Label_ConnectionStatus, "Connection Status: Connected!")
            GUICtrlSetColor($Label_ConnectionStatus, 0x00ff00)
        EndIf
    Else
        If Not ProcessExists($sEXE_FileName) Then
            ConsoleWrite("Lost connection!" & @CRLF)
            $iPID_NetCat = Null
            GUICtrlSetData($Label_ConnectionStatus, "Connection Status: Not Connected")
            GUICtrlSetColor($Label_ConnectionStatus, 0xff0000)
        EndIf
    EndIf
EndFunc   ;==>_AutoConnect
Func _Parse()
    Sleep(250)
    Local $vData = StdoutRead($iPID_NetCat)
    ConsoleWrite("[UPDATE]" & @CRLF & $vData & @CRLF)
EndFunc   ;==>_Parse

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by BetaLeaf

[Nine]

Might be because NetCat Tool doesn't write to the stream.  It is not that impossible.  Some programs that are console type, doesn't write on stream.

To test your program use cmd.exe, instead of the tool.  If that works and it doesn't with NetCat, you got your answer.

Edited April 17, 2020 by Nine

[Gianni]

Since OP says that when using streams individually they work regularly, I suppose the problem is in the general logic of the script rather than in nc.exe, and even less is a bug in the redirection of the RUN command.
Where can I download sc.exe that you use? is this perhaps ?? (https://eternallybored.org/misc/netcat/) ??

Edited April 17, 2020 by Chimp

[EmilyLove]

6 hours ago, Chimp said:

Where can I download sc.exe that you use? is this perhaps ?? (https://eternallybored.org/misc/netcat/) ??

Yes, thats it.

[EmilyLove]

12 hours ago, Nine said:

Might be because NetCat Tool doesn't write to the stream.  It is not that impossible.  Some programs that are console type, doesn't write on stream.

To test your program use cmd.exe, instead of the tool.  If that works and it doesn't with NetCat, you got your answer.

I tried the following and it doesn't seem to help: 

$iPID_NetCat = Run(@ComSpec & " /c " & $sEXE_FileName & " " & GUICtrlRead($input_IPAddress) & " " & GUICtrlRead($input_Port), @TempDir & "\BetaLeaf Software\NetCat Tool\", @SW_HIDE, BitOR($STDIN_CHILD, $STDOUT_CHILD))

And to be crystal clear, I'm not able to read the stream if both $STDIN_CHILD and either $STDOUT_CHILD, $STDERR_CHILD, or $STDERR_MERGED are used. If only one is used, then everything works as intended. Basically, if $STDIN_CHILD is used in addition to another opt flag, then $STDIN_CHILD doesn't work. It's like it can only do either a read or write stream at one time and it prioritizes the $STDOUT_CHILD stream

[EmilyLove]

Solved: Use NCat instead https://nmap.org/download.html

[BrewManNH]

With the Run command, don't use BitOr, just use + between the variable names, you need to add them together instead of Oring them.

[TheXman]

20 minutes ago, BrewManNH said:

With the Run command, don't use BitOr, just use + between the variable names, you need to add them together instead of Oring them.

The opt_flag values of the RUN command can be OR'ed without any issues because they all fall on bit boundaries.  i.e. 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 65536

Edited April 20, 2020 by TheXman

[EmilyLove]

Yea from my experiences it hasn't mattered. You can BitOR or simply add them. Thanks for the feedback though