Need some help...

[Bruce W. Darby]

This will be my very first VB.Net application and it's pretty simple. But
I've got a snag in my syntax somewhere. Was hoping that someone could point
me in the right direction.

The history:
My work involves creating custom packages of our software product for golf
courses that purchase our software. The course data is kept as a back up in
the event the course needs us to replace their custom files. Each course has
a folder of it's own data under a centralized directory.

The problem:
The custom files are going to become a serious storage issue as our customer
base increases.

The solution:
Compress each course folder into an individual .cab file containing all of
the course's custom files and then archive these files to storage media such
as CD/DVD.

Where I need help:
I found some code for implementing a command line window and passing it a
string through a stream. The command window is being instantiated, but the
string is not getting passed or my syntax for running the makecab utility is
off-base. I've spent several hours looking for sample code that would
explain the makecab syntax and I've also tried to determine if the
parameters are being passed in to the Sub correctly. I've set a break at the
line where the string should be passed to the command window, but I can not
seem to get a respnse from the watches that have been set. I've included a
copy of the sub that I'm using to compress the files. If this is not the
correct forum for this, I do apologize. A nudge in the correct direction
would be deeply appreciated.

Private Sub CompressFolder( ByVal ToFolder As String, ByVal FromFolder As
String, ByVal FinalFile As String)

Dim CompressProcess As Process = New Process

CompressProcess .StartInfo.File Name = "cmd.exe"

CompressProcess .StartInfo.UseS hellExecute = False

CompressProcess .StartInfo.Crea teNoWindow = True

CompressProcess .StartInfo.Redi rectStandardInp ut = True

CompressProcess .StartInfo.Redi rectStandardOut put = True

CompressProcess .StartInfo.Redi rectStandardErr or = True

CompressProcess .Start()

Dim stmStreamIn As IO.StreamWriter = CompressProcess .StandardInput

stmStreamIn.Aut oFlush = True

Dim stmStreamOut As IO.StreamReader = CompressProcess .StandardOutput

Dim stmStreamErr As IO.StreamReader = CompressProcess .StandardError

stmStreamIn.Wri te("makecab.ex e /L %ToFolder% %FromFolder% %FinalFile%" &
System.Environm ent.NewLine)

stmStreamIn.Wri te("exit" & System.Environm ent.NewLine)

If Not CompressProcess .HasExited Then

CompressProcess .Kill()

End If

stmStreamIn.Clo se()

stmStreamOut.Cl ose()

stmStreamErr.Cl ose()

End Sub

[Bruce W. Darby]

Thigh boots???? Hmmm... No, better not go there. :)

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. This doesn't work for me.

i_Compress.Comp ressFolder(strF older,
Path.ChangeExte nsion(Path.Comb ine(strTargetDi r, strDeepestNode) , ".cab"),
"", 0)

still doesn't work and that:

And this DOES work for me.

Dim strFinalFile As String =
Path.ChangeExte nsion(Path.Comb ine(strTargetDi r, strDeepestNode) , ".cab")
i_Compress.Comp ressFolder(strF older, strFinalFile)

does work?

Should I send someone to help you up? :)

[Bruce W. Darby]

Cor,

I read that one. :) But I'm just letting Stephany know what is and isn't
working for me. My project is otherwise working perfectly well. I've
actually started my project over, thinking some changes that I had made
elsewhere, through my own stupidity, of course, had botched my solution. In
both solutions, the exact same errors occured on that line of code. I'm
perfectly happy with the code working as it is. I really don't want anyone
wasting their time on it, so if it is getting to that point, I apologize.

Bruce

"Cor Ligthert [MVP]" <no************ @planet.nlwrote in message
news:eW******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP02.phx.gbl...

Bruce,

In my idea are you too much ironing. In this case it is in my idea better
to carpenter a small project where only the problems are in.

In that way you can more easily eliminate the things that are going wrong
to come to the right result.

(Almost the same advice as Tom gave in another question this night (for
me)).

Cor

[Stephany Young]

It's definitely time for the black boots and whip this time!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

I would like you to try it with EXACTLY this line:

i_Compress.Comp ressFolder(strF older,
Path.ChangeExte nsion(Path.Comb ine(strTargetDi r, strDeepestNode) , ".cab"),
"", 0)

Copy and paste it verbatim and remove any line breaks that propogate
themselves.

Do not, I repeat, DO not modify the line in any other way.

Do not, I repeat, DO not attempt to run the program.

Compile it and see if you get any compile time errors and if so report back.

If it compile ok, then you can run it and report back with the results.

If that doesn't work I'll come and marry you and, believe me, you wouldn't
want that!!!!!!!!!
"Bruce W. Darby" <kr****@comcast .netwrote in message
news:qe******** *************** *******@comcast .com...

Thigh boots???? Hmmm... No, better not go there. :)

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. This doesn't work for me.

> i_Compress.Comp ressFolder(strF older,
Path.ChangeExt ension(Path.Com bine(strTargetD ir, strDeepestNode) , ".cab"),
"", 0)

still doesn't work and that:

And this DOES work for me.

> Dim strFinalFile As String =
Path.ChangeExt ension(Path.Com bine(strTargetD ir, strDeepestNode) , ".cab")
i_Compress.Comp ressFolder(strF older, strFinalFile)

does work?

Should I send someone to help you up? :)

[Bruce W. Darby]

Hmmm... That one worked, though for the life of me I cannot see anything
different from any of the previous lines that you provided. So I suppose
you're safe from the wedding bells. :) Besides, even though I live in Utah,
my wife isn't into polygamy. LOL

Ummm... if I put a line continuation character in, could I get a few extra
lashes?? ROFL

Thanks Stephany,
Bruce

"Stephany Young" <noone@localhos twrote in message
news:OT******** *****@TK2MSFTNG P06.phx.gbl...

I would like you to try it with EXACTLY this line:

i_Compress.Comp ressFolder(strF older,
Path.ChangeExte nsion(Path.Comb ine(strTargetDi r, strDeepestNode) , ".cab"),
"", 0)

[Stephany Young]

I suspect that you had a tray comma, a missing comma or a comma in the wrong
place.

When I stragecially misplaced a comma or 2 I got one or more of the errors
you saw, byt the important thing is that they were compile-time errors not
run-time exceptions.

When you are posting about 'errors', it is important that you are absolutely
clear as to the type of error or exception that you are talking about, cos
even though we're pretty good, we don't have telepathy down to a fine art as
yet.

Don't get lost in the snow :)

"Bruce W. Darby" <kr****@comcast .netwrote in message
news:fN******** *************** *******@comcast .com...

Hmmm... That one worked, though for the life of me I cannot see anything
different from any of the previous lines that you provided. So I suppose
you're safe from the wedding bells. :) Besides, even though I live in
Utah, my wife isn't into polygamy. LOL

Ummm... if I put a line continuation character in, could I get a few extra
lashes?? ROFL

Thanks Stephany,
Bruce

"Stephany Young" <noone@localhos twrote in message
news:OT******** *****@TK2MSFTNG P06.phx.gbl...

>I would like you to try it with EXACTLY this line:

i_Compress.Comp ressFolder(strF older,
Path.ChangeExt ension(Path.Com bine(strTargetD ir, strDeepestNode) , ".cab"),
"", 0)

[Tom Leylan]

Bruce this isn't a big deal but why I mentioned it before was so you (an
others) understand, what you are suggesting is "impossible ". I believe you
think the function calls are passed along as parameters to be "parsed" by
the function itself and they aren't. The outer function has no idea that
you supplied the parameters indirectly via other function calls.

MyFunc1( "this", 15 )
MyFunc1( GetThis(), 3 * 5 )

Are equal (so long as GetThis() returns "this" of course. All computations
"must" be done prior to calling MyFunc1().

It isn't something you should worry about because it can't happen. If a
function returns something "wrong" then yes the function will fail but due
to the bad value not due to the fact that a function was called..
"Bruce W. Darby" <kr****@comcast .netwrote in message
news:T9******** *************** *******@comcast .com...

These are the same errors I was receiving when I tried what you suggested,
which is why I believe that there may be a bug in the .dll because it's
(possibly) parsing the command strings only for commas and when it sees
one, it goes looking for the next piece of the puzzle instead of trying to
make sure the piece I've provided it really fits. When I present it with
just a variable it behaves as it should. :)

[Bruce W. Darby]

Tom,

I appreciate everything that you've done to assist me in learning. I've got
a hard head sometimes, but it also allows me to bang it against the wall
until something sinks in. :) Of course, that really leaves a bloody mess on
the wall... ROFL

Happy Holidays,
Bruce
"Tom Leylan" <tl*****@nospam .netwrote in message
news:eA******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP06.phx.gbl. ..

Bruce this isn't a big deal but why I mentioned it before was so you (an
others) understand, what you are suggesting is "impossible ". I believe
you think the function calls are passed along as parameters to be "parsed"
by the function itself and they aren't. The outer function has no idea
that you supplied the parameters indirectly via other function calls.

MyFunc1( "this", 15 )
MyFunc1( GetThis(), 3 * 5 )

Are equal (so long as GetThis() returns "this" of course. All
computations "must" be done prior to calling MyFunc1().

It isn't something you should worry about because it can't happen. If a
function returns something "wrong" then yes the function will fail but due
to the bad value not due to the fact that a function was called..
"Bruce W. Darby" <kr****@comcast .netwrote in message
news:T9******** *************** *******@comcast .com...

>These are the same errors I was receiving when I tried what you
suggested, which is why I believe that there may be a bug in the .dll
because it's (possibly) parsing the command strings only for commas and
when it sees one, it goes looking for the next piece of the puzzle
instead of trying to make sure the piece I've provided it really fits.
When I present it with just a variable it behaves as it should. :)