On 26 Jul 2002 at 16:31, Chandler Webb wrote: > > A question about Windows batch files... > > In the Windows 'Plucker Desktop' , I'm trying to run a batch file as a > 'command to execute before spidering'. > > The only way I've been able to get it to work without an error is by > using the "Start" command - ie: "Start batchfilename.bat". > > If I just use the batch file name as the command, I get "Error during > execution of 'before_command' " . Same if I enter the path and name > in quotes or if I use "CMD /c" > > The problem with using the Start command is that it doesn't wait for > the batch file to finish before starting to the Plucker spidering. > > Has anyone any hints for me about making the batch file work? > > Thanks for any help anyone can give... > > -- > Chan Webb
Hi Chan, It is the spaces in the path, most likely. The python parser doesn't like spaces in the path (with good reason--it is a bad idea for an operating system to allow this). You can instead use the FAT equivalent of the path (ie the DOS compatible version with the 8 characters and tildes): For example: C:\PROGRA~1\MYBATCH.BAT "Execute command before spidering" is handled by the parser not the Desktop. Bill has mentioned that it will be dumped from the parser at some future point since it shouldn't be part of a distiller. When it is dumped from the parser, the Desktop will start to manage these 2 keys. In the meantime, if it is a command that can be applied to an entire suite of channels at once, either before or after you update them all, you can inspect Preferences > Spidering > "Execute command before a group of channels" (and the after one). These two keys are run by the Desktop and deal with spaces OK. [Though there was a bug, since corrected, that you couldn't output to a root level drive, like C:\] You can try out the keys for a command before a group and see it it works on your batchfile. If so, then it was the spaces. Best wishes, Robert
