XPCom Access to Perl

Fri, 11 Mar 2005 11:36:14 -0800

I have need to call a perl script from XPCom.  I am doing it as follows:

function exec(str_theProgram,theArgs,doIWait) {
        netscape.security.PrivilegeManager.enablePrivilege("UniversalXPConnect");
        //program to start
        //example: str_theProgram = "/usr/X11R6/bin/xterm";
        if (theArgs) {
                numArgs = theArgs.length;
        } else {
                theArgs = null;
        }
        var fid = "@mozilla.org/file/local;1";
        var file = Components.classes[fid].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsILocalFile);
        file.initWithPath(str_theProgram);
        //try to create process
        try {
                var pid = "@mozilla.org/process/util;1";
                var theProcess = Components.classes[pid].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsIProcess);
                theProcess.init(file);
                theProcess.run(doIWait, theArgs, numArgs, {});
        } catch (e) { alert(e); }
}

I call the exec function from another script.  When str_theProgram is just about anything other than a perl script, the function works as intended.  It works for bash scripts (although everything in the script needs an absolute path).  I have chmod 755'ed my perl scripts so that I can call them directly, and still nada.

I noted another individual trying to do something similar:
Jordi Llonch wrote: 
Hi,

I'm looking for execute an external perl program from my thunderbird
extension (XPI).
I'm have seen this component:
"@mozilla.org/appshell/appShellService;1"
But I'm not sure that this is the way.
  
Definitely not ;)

You want nsIProcess. But beware, using nsIProcess you can't set up pipes (stdin/stdout) to the process you are running. That requires some advanced coding, and I don't think you can do it without using the NSPR process API.

--BDS

The given advice makes me wary.  Was there ever a solution to this problem?  Does this advanced coding occur in _javascript_ or a C++ wrapper?  What do I need to do to get this to happen.  My current project is dead in the water until I can solve this issue.

Thanks in advance.

Tim Niiler


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