C - on Windows Odd behavior

[sitko]

Hi,

I'm getting a weird error with my C program. It receives parameters from a text file that is created by a VB wrapper program. One of the inputs is a "jobname". The code bombs when certain values are inputed for this jobname, but not others. This jobname is used to create a directory.

It crashes when the jobname has LLLLLLL_###LL, where L = letters, and # = digits, and _ = underscore. But, if there are only 2 digits & 2 letters or 1 letter after the 3 digits it works fine. Unfortunately, the user typically names the job name with this format (ex: "Bottle_400ml").

Has anyone seen anything like this before?

Thanks,
Sitko.

[weaknessforcats]

Post the code that reads the jobname.

"weird error" is a little vague. Exactly what kind of error??

[sitko]

The error that pops up is:
"D:\Bottle_400mL
'-^' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
The filename, directory name or volume label syntax is incorrect."
(note: the "^" symbol is an "up arrow" character.)

At first instead of "-^" it said "/Decline" is not recognized as an internal...

The code that I 'think' cause the error was this:

if (strcmp(strType,"Decline")==0)  
        {                                
            strcpy(sysCall,"mkdir ");
            strcat(sysCall,gstrJobname);
            system(sysCall);
        }
        if (strcmp(strType,"Decline")==0)
        {
            strcpy(sysCall, "mkdir ");
            strcat(sysCall, gstrJobname);
            strcat(sysCall, slash);
            strcat(sysCall, strType);
            system(sysCall);
        }
 

I use conditional compilation statements, so that this code runs on both windows and unix.
'Slash" = whichever slash type is appropriate for whichever platform we're compiled on.
gstrJobname = the jobname the user typed in.
strType is either "Shake" or "Decline".

Thanks,
Sitko.

[weaknessforcats]

if (strcmp(strType,"Decline")==0)
{
strcpy(sysCall,"mkdir ");
strcat(sysCall,gstrJobname);
system(sysCall);
}
if (strcmp(strType,"Decline")==0)
{
strcpy(sysCall, "mkdir ");
strcat(sysCall, gstrJobname);
strcat(sysCall, slash);
strcat(sysCall, strType);
system(sysCall);
}

Tell me again how this code works. It looks like the strcmp is true in each case-and yioiu haver different contents.

Also, on the Windows side, your slash has to be \\.

[sitko]

I do have \\ on the windows side. LIke I said, this code works fine, EXCEPT for when the user inputs a job name with "_###LL" in it.

The code itself creates some text files, and a directory structure, which are fed into a downstream process. I can't go into too much detail as I've signed a NDA.

I don't think a code snipet is really helpful in this case, as it works fine, if they don't input that certain string value. So, it seems that C doesn't like that substring value for some reason.

Thanks,
Sitko.

[weaknessforcats]

Well, I was just wondering where the strTtype of "Shake" was. It's not in tyour code snippet.

There's nothing in C that prevents a jobname with # in it as you describe.

[sitko]

thanks...I didn't think it would...just wanted the opinion from you "experts"...what about if the string was ###_mL? Could the act of hitting "shift" to get the uppercase L case a problem?

[weaknessforcats]

"experts"...

You have to remember that X is an unknown qunatity and that a spurt is just a drip under pressure.

The shift key is not an issue. That just determines the value you receive fromthe keyboard.

Your problem is elsewhere. You might look at the VBA.

[sitko]

You have to remember that X is an unknown qunatity and that a spurt is just a drip under pressure.

The shift key is not an issue. That just determines the value you receive fromthe keyboard.

Your problem is elsewhere. You might look at the VBA.

Its definitely, in the C code where the error is happening. The VB front end, just builds the input.txt file for the C code, and I've checked and double checked, and everything is right going into the C code. Since then, I've seen a new "error" string with this code, another guy got "--<down arrow>" as being the offensive line.

[weaknessforcats]

At some point you wuill have to post the code that's failing.

[sitko]

Yeah, unfortunately, TPTB (the powers that be) have decided for the short term to just not use input that causes the problem, instead of investing time narrowing down the location of the offensive code. As the original error we got was "/Decline" is not a command, etc. I thought I had included the offending code in post #3 above.

The gstrJobName is read in like all the rest of the parameters, its code is this:

Its definition is:

char gstrJobDir[200];
 

My input file is based on one input parameter per line in a specified order. The VB file creates this input when the user clicks the 'write' button. The VB creates the file saves it in the folder and then calls the C program.
I have an "Assign Variables' function which loads all the global variables with values from the input file.

if( (filePtr = fopen("Input.txt","r") )== NULL)
    {
        printf("ERROR: The input file can not be opened.");
        exit(1);
    }
 
    fscanf(filePtr, "%s", Jobname);
    fscanf(filePtr, "%s", Bottlename);
 

Here is where I move the Jobname into the gstrJobName:

        strncpy(tempStr2,Jobname,(strlen(Jobname)));
    strcpy(gstrJobname,tempStr2);
 

Here is my code to build the job directory, along with some of my conditional compilation code:

    //find the directory from the strBottleFile, 
        //which is everything before the last slash.
#if _WIN32
    {pch=strrchr(gstrBottleFile,'\\');}
#else
    { pch=strrchr(gstrBottleFile,'/');}
#endif
    intLastSlash = (pch-gstrBottleFile+1);
    strncpy (gstrWorkingDir,gstrBottleFile,intLastSlash);
 
    //build the jobdir from working directory & "/" & jobname
    strcpy(gstrJobDir,gstrWorkingDir);
    strcat(gstrJobDir,gstrJobname);
 

I can't really post more of the code, than this. I know that makes it hard, but these snipets contain all of the code that references that global variable gstrJobName...

I hope that helps...