Skip, If type just the names of the verbs, J will display their definitions:
spawn spawn_jtask_ shell shell_jtask_ So, the versions without the _jtask_ are basically 'aliases' of the _jtask_ versions. shell_jtask_ ''&$: :(spawn ('cmd /c ' , ])) I am surprised that you get different results from shell and spawn in this case. I just ran a similar test as you ran: g C:\gnuwin32\bin\gzip.exe -d -c f C:\Users\me\j64-701-user\temp\foo1.ijs.gz qq=:shell g,f rr=:spawn g,f $qq 1605 $rr 1605 For me, shell and spawn got the same result. What version of gzip are you running? Perhaps there are differences between the versions of gzip you and I have. shell 'C:\gnuwin32\bin\gzip.exe -V' gzip 1.3.12 Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. Copyright (C) 1993 Jean-loup Gailly. This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of the GNU General Public License <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Written by Jean-loup Gailly. -- David Mitchell On 11/8/2011 2:16, Skip Cave wrote: > Thanks Raul! Your hint allowed me to avoid using the overly verbose 7z.exe, > and use gzip instead, which doesn't pollute the stout with completion text: > > filepth =: 'c:\Gzip\tsttxt.gz' > zipth =: '"c:\Gzip\gzip.exe -d -c "' > shell zipth, filepth > > This is a test file 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 > This is a test file 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 > This is a test file 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .... etc. > This is the contents of file tsttxt.txt file that printed out (with no > extra text!)... > > Interestingly, the alternate 'spawn zipth, filepth' does not produce any > stdout, so the shell command is definitely required. > > By the way, what is the difference between shell_jtask_ and shell? or > spawn_jtask_ and spawn? > > Skip > > > On Sat, Nov 5, 2011 at 8:01 AM, Raul Miller<rauldmil...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Note that gzip also has an option to provide its result on stdout >> instead of replacing the file >> >> http://www.mkssoftware.com/docs/man1/gzip.1.asp >> >> -c (or --stdout) >> >> -- >> Raul >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm