Script with infinite command line parameters

[pete1234]

So I've finally completed my first legitimate script (yay!), and I'd say it's about 90% done. In a nutshell, it's designed to be called from a button within Access via a macro, and it backs up the database when the user exits their switchboard (clicking the "Exit & Backup" button).

I originally stored all of the information regarding the filename/folder/etc. within the script itself. I then realized it'd be a major PITA to use it for multiple databases, so I was able to get all of this information from an INI file. The script searches for an INI file in the same directory as the script with the same filename, and if it doesn't find one it creates one based on user input. It then reads from the INI file and backs up the database accordingly based on whatever values are in there (location of the folder, name of the file, number of backups to keep, and title of the file).

I was so giddy when I got this all working. But then I realized, I'd need a script and a corresponding INI for each database that gets backed up. Ack!

So I'm wondering, is it possible to create infinite command line parameters, or something of the like? I'm thinking the button in Access would run "backupdatabase.exe /ininame.ini". The script would then look for that INI file in the script directory, and gather the correct values.

Any suggestions for how to tackle this problem?

Thanks!

[TheCuz]

I am not sure what the limitation within AutoIt is in terms of how many command line parameters it can take, but I am guessing that it would be limited to how large an array can be created in terms of elements.

You can use the $CmdLine variable to catch any parameters passed to the executable. You can look it up in the help file.

It is used as $CmdLine[0] finds how many parameters are passed to the program, then each successive element is going to be each parameter passed.

ex. - program.exe param1 param2 ...

In this case:

$CmdLine[0] ;would return 2
$CmdLine[1] ;would return param1
$CmdLine[2] ;would return param2

Hope this helps...muttley

[pete1234]

Thanks for the uber-quick reply.

I've been up and down the help file for command line parameters, and I find it to be kind of sparse when compared with the rest of the documentation. I've been unable to glean anything more than just the basics from it. I've successfully created "defined" parameters, such as running script.exe /help to pop open a text file and things like that. But in terms of a creating a parameter that changes based on what INI file the script should read from, I'm still at a loss.

[PsaltyDS]

Thanks for the uber-quick reply.

I've been up and down the help file for command line parameters, and I find it to be kind of sparse when compared with the rest of the documentation. I've been unable to glean anything more than just the basics from it. I've successfully created "defined" parameters, such as running script.exe /help to pop open a text file and things like that. But in terms of a creating a parameter that changes based on what INI file the script should read from, I'm still at a loss.

Something like this?

Global $sIniFile

; YourScript.exe /ini "C:\Temp\YourIniFile.ini"
For $n = 1 To $CmdLine[0] - 1
    If $CmdLine[$n] = "/ini" Then
        $sIniFile = $CmdLine[$n + 1]
        ExitLoop
    EndIf
Next

muttley

[nobbe]

i wrote a function to get "multiple commandline parameters with parameter definition" - maybe you can use it

it may be not as elegant as the _getopt(), but it suits MY needs :-)

call with "exename -Betriebsart TEST -QuellDateiName temp.txt"

expandcollapse popup

GLOBAL $cmdline_old = $CmdLineRaw

Global $betriebsart = _ReadCmdLine("Betriebsart");

Global $quelldateiname = _ReadCmdLine("QuellDateiName");







;
Func _ReadCmdLine($switch)
    If $CmdLine[0] > 0 Then

    ; vorne ein leerzeichen hin sonst blickt er das erste " -" nicht..
        $CmdLineRaw = "  " & $CmdLineRaw;

        $CmdLineRaw = StringReplace($CmdLineRaw, " -", "|"); options are separated by "-"

    ; so nun sind die optionen mit "|" getrennt
        $Cmdopt = StringSplit($CmdLineRaw, "|"); options are separated by "-"
    ;_ArrayDisplay($Cmdopt, "options")

    ; start with 2
        For $I = 2 To UBound($Cmdopt) - 1;

        ; $param = StringLeft($Cmdopt[$I], 1); "f" - 1 char
        ;
        ; der parameter sollte bis zum nächsten " " gehen (leerzeichen)

            $p = StringInStr($Cmdopt[$I], ' ');
            $param = StringLeft($Cmdopt[$I], $p)
            $param = StringStripWS($param, 3);


        ; value is now rest of switch
            $value = StringRight($Cmdopt[$I], StringLen($Cmdopt[$I]) - $p); take rest as value
            $value = StringStripWS($value, 3);

        ; found it ??
            If $param = $switch And $value <> "" Then
                
                $value = StringReplace($value, '"', ""); ersetze " zeichen
                
                Return $value
            EndIf; value F?


        Next; all params
    EndIf

    Return ""; default
EndFunc  ;==>_ReadCmdLine

[pete1234]

Something like this?

Global $sIniFile

; YourScript.exe /ini "C:\Temp\YourIniFile.ini"
For $n = 1 To $CmdLine[0] - 1
    If $CmdLine[$n] = "/ini" Then
        $sIniFile = $CmdLine[$n + 1]
        ExitLoop
    EndIf
Next

muttley

So simple, Occam's razor wins again. Thanks!

[pete1234]

Here's what I have for the command line parameters. Everything seems to work A-ok, although admittedly I have no idea if this is considered correct. I'm relatively new to AutoIt, and for that matter, programming in general.

expandcollapse popup

Global $sIniFile
Global $var
If $cmdline[0] > 0 Then $Var = $Cmdline [1]

Select
    Case $Var = ''
        MsgBox(0, "", "No switch entered")
        Exit
    Case $Var = "/edit"
        Local $inierror = "An unexpected error occured. Please contact your administrator."
        Local $readini = FileOpenDialog("Please select the INI to edit", @ScriptDir, "INI files (*.ini)")
        Local $readinidir = IniRead($readini, "Backup", "sourcedir", $inierror)
        Local $readininame = IniRead($readini, "Backup", "sourcename", $inierror)
        Local $readininum = IniRead($readini, "Backup", "maxcount", $inierror)
        Local $readinititle = IniRead($readini, "Backup", "title", $inierror)
        Local $writeinichanged = FileOpenDialog("Please locate the file", $readinidir, "All files (*.*)")
        Local $szDriveFileEdit, $szDirFileEdit, $szFNameFileEdit, $szExtFileEdit 
        Local $fileinipathedit = _PathSplit($writeinichanged, $szDriveFileEdit, $szDirFileEdit, $szFNameFileEdit, $szExtFileEdit)
        Local $fileiniedit = $fileinipathedit[1] & $fileinipathedit[2]
        Local $filefolderlenedit = StringLen($fileiniedit)
        Local $filefolderedit = StringLeft($fileiniedit, $filefolderlenedit - 1)
        Local $filefoldernameedit = $fileinipathedit[3] & $fileinipathedit[4]   
        Local $writeininum = InputBox("How many backups?", "Please enter a number from 1 to 50", $readininum, " M2", 250, 125)
        Local $writeinititle = InputBox("Title", "Please enter the title of the file", $readinititle, " M", 250, 125)   
        IniWrite($readini, "Backup", "sourcedir", $filefolderedit)
        IniWrite($readini, "Backup", "sourcename", $filefoldernameedit)
        IniWrite($readini, "Backup", "maxcount", $writeininum)
        IniWrite($readini, "Backup", "title", $writeinititle)
        Exit
    Case $Var = "/create"
        Local $sourceinifile = FileOpenDialog("Please select the file to be backed up", "C:\", "All files (*.*)")
        Local $titleini = InputBox("Title", "Please enter the title of the file", "", " M", 250, 125)
        Local $shorttitle = StringStripWS($titleini, 8)
        Local $maxcountini = InputBox("How many backups?", "Please enter a number from 1 to 50", "5", " M2", 250, 125)  
    ; Code below will split the file selected above into the directory and the filename
        Local $szDriveFile, $szDirFile, $szFNameFile, $szExtFile 
        Local $fileinipath = _PathSplit($sourceinifile, $szDriveFile, $szDirFile, $szFNameFile, $szExtFile)
        Local $fileini = $fileinipath[1] & $fileinipath[2]
        Local $filefolderlen = StringLen($fileini)
        Local $filefolder = StringLeft($fileini, $filefolderlen - 1)
        Local $filefoldername = $fileinipath[3] & $fileinipath[4]
        Local $newinipath = @ScriptDir & "\" & $shorttitle & ".ini"
    ; Pass the values from above into the INI
        IniWrite($newinipath, "Backup", "sourcedir", $filefolder)
        IniWrite($newinipath, "Backup", "sourcename", $filefoldername)
        IniWrite($newinipath, "Backup", "title", $titleini)
        IniWrite($newinipath, "Backup", "maxcount", $maxcountini)
        msgbox(0, "Success", "This file can now be backed up. Run backup.exe /ini " & $shorttitle & ".ini")
        Exit
    Case $var = "/ini"
        For $n = 1 To $CmdLine[0] - 1
            If $CmdLine[$n] = "/ini" Then
                $sIniFile = $CmdLine[$n + 1]
                ExitLoop
            EndIf
        Next
    Case Else
        MsgBox(0, "", "That's not a valid switch, doofus.")
EndSelect

There are a few minor bugs unrelated to the parameters that I'm trying to figure out (i.e. have a quote display in a MsgBox, validate the data entered in an InputBox so it will only accept numbers, and require that a file be selected in FileOpenDialog before continuing). But other than that everything seems to be working good. Hopefully I haven't made any major mistakes.

[MrCreatoR]

i wrote a function to get "multiple commandline parameters with parameter definition" - maybe you can use it

it may be not as elegant as the _getopt(), but it suits MY needs :-)

call with "exename -Betriebsart TEST -QuellDateiName temp.txt"

Nice, but it can be done with RegExp more quickly, and i think even more effective, here is what i use:

;Example on how to get unknown Command Line...

;If $CmdLine[0] = 0 Then Exit ;Exit the script, because the command line was empty ;)

;Just for the demo
If $CmdLine[0] = 0 Then $CmdLineRaw = '-File "C:\Program Files\File.txt" /URL "http://google.com"'

MsgBox(64, "", _
    _GetCmdLine($CmdLineRaw, "-File") & @LF & _
    _GetCmdLine($CmdLineRaw, "/URL"))

Func _GetCmdLine($sCmdLine, $sArgument)
    Local $sRetCmd = StringRegExpReplace($sCmdLine, '(?i).*?' & $sArgument & '( |)("|)(.*?)("|)( /| -|$).*?$', '\3')
    
    Return StringStripWS($sRetCmd, 3)
EndFunc

[spudw2k]

RegEx are definately a smart way to go. Smarter than my knowledge. My approach would be to make a string that consists of all the parameters than use either regex, or stringinstr against the whole thing. May not be the best way, but that's just the perspective of a novice.

[PsaltyDS]

RegEx are definately a smart way to go. Smarter than my knowledge. My approach would be to make a string that consists of all the parameters than use either regex, or stringinstr against the whole thing. May not be the best way, but that's just the perspective of a novice.

If you must go that route, you would be working with $CmdLineRaw. This variable already contains the entire calling command line parameters, unsplit.

muttley

[spudw2k]

If you must go that route, you would be working with $CmdLineRaw. This variable already contains the entire calling command line parameters, unsplit.

muttley

Good to know.