struct in function

I made this script to start a program:

Code:

#include <iostream.h>
#include <windows.h>

using namespace std;

struct exec
{
  char path[];
  char par[];
  char dir[];
};

void execute (exec *x)
{

  HINSTANCE hRet = ShellExecute(
    HWND_DESKTOP, //Parent window
    "open",       //Operation to perform
    x->path,       //Path to program
    x->par,         //Parameters
    x->dir,         //Default directory
    SW_SHOW);     //How to open

  if((LONG)hRet <= 32)
  {
    cout << "Wrong directory!!" << endl;
  }
}

int main()
{
  cout << "Starting firefox..." << endl;
  exec pars = {"C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe", "", ""};
  execute(&pars);
  system("PAUSE");

  return 0;
}

No errors (Win XP, Borland), but when I execute the file, it couts:
"Wrong directory!". What am I doing wrong??

Couldn't tell you. Works fine for me.

The only thing I'd say is, why use the std namespace if you're using depreciated libraries? And why not use the std::string object instead of character arrays? My compiler had problems until I changed it to strings.

And lastly, don't call it a script, call it source code. C++ is not a scripting language.

22 errors!

I think ShellExecute() only accepts C strings?

Ofcourse it does, which is why you'd want to call the c_str() function on your std::string objects.

Code:

  HINSTANCE hRet = ShellExecute(
    HWND_DESKTOP, //Parent window
    "open",       //Operation to perform
    x->path.c_str(),       //Path to program
    x->par.c_str(),         //Parameters
    x->dir.c_str(),         //Default directory
    SW_SHOW);     //How to open

  if((LONG)hRet <= 32)
  {
    cout << "Wrong directory!!" << endl;
  }

By the way, if I had to guess. I'd say your problem lies with the fact that you're casting to a LONG not a long and your compiler might not like that, but I could be wrong.

Thx for replying! I did it like this:

Code:

#include <iostream.h>
#include <windows.h>

using namespace std;

struct exec
{
  string path;
  string par;
  string dir;
};

void execute (exec *x)
{

  HINSTANCE hRet = ShellExecute(
    HWND_DESKTOP, //Parent window
    "open",       //Operation to perform
    x->path.c_str(),       //Path to program
    x->par.c_str(),         //Parameters
    x->dir.c_str(),         //Default directory
    SW_SHOW);     //How to open

  if((long)hRet <= 32)
  {
    cout << "Wrong directory!!" << endl;
  }
}

int main()
{
  cout << "Starting firefox..." << endl;
  exec pars;
  pars.path = "C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe";
  execute(&pars);
  system("PAUSE");

  return 0;
}

It didn't accept

Code:

exec pars = {"C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe", "", ""};

so I changed it to

Code:

pars.path = "C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe";

Is there a better/faster way to do that?

If by 'faster' you mean essentially to declare and set the struct members in a single line then give it a constructor taking 3 strings, eg

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>

using namespace std;

struct exec
{
  string path;
  string par;
  string dir;
  
  exec(){};
  exec(const string& p,const string& a,const string& d):path(p),par(a),dir(d){}
};


void execute (exec *x)
{

  HINSTANCE hRet = ShellExecute(
    HWND_DESKTOP, //Parent window
    "open",       //Operation to perform
    x->path.c_str(),       //Path to program
    x->par.c_str(),         //Parameters
    x->dir.c_str(),         //Default directory
    SW_SHOW);     //How to open

  if((long)hRet <= 32)
  {
    cout << "Wrong directory!!" << endl;
  }
}

int main()
{
  cout << "Starting firefox..." << endl;
  exec pars("C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe","","");
  //pars.path = "C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe";
  execute(&pars);
  system("PAUSE");

  return 0;
}

And use <iostream>, not <iostream.h> as SlyMaelstrom suggested.

Can you give an explanation about

Code:

  exec(){};
  exec(const string& p,const string& a,const string& d):path(p),par(a),dir(d){}

I haven't examined constructors yet.

You have to include <string>. This compiles for me:

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <windows.h>

using namespace std;

struct exec
{
  string path;
  string par;
  string dir;
};

void execute (exec *x)
{

  HINSTANCE hRet = ShellExecute(
    HWND_DESKTOP, //Parent window
    "open",       //Operation to perform
    x->path.c_str(),       //Path to program
    x->par.c_str(),         //Parameters
    x->dir.c_str(),         //Default directory
    SW_SHOW);     //How to open

  if((int)hRet <= 32)
  {
    cout << "Wrong directory!!" << endl;
  }
}

int main()
{
  cout << "Starting firefox..." << endl;
  exec pars = {"C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe", "", ""};
  execute(&pars);
  system("PAUSE");

  return 0;
}

I use Borland compiler and it gives 16 errors

Such as? I'm thinking about modern Borland compilers and 0 of them comes to mind.

} expected in function main()

cannot convert char* to exec

Declaration missing ; in function main()

Unexpected }

Type name expected

Illegal initialisation

If I had to guess, it's because your compile is ancient and probably doesn't know std::string. This is also probably why you're still using old libraries.

Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom

I'm thinking about modern Borland compilers and 0 of them comes to mind.

Which versions are you referring to? Bcc v5.6.4(cbuilderx; I'm fairly certain this is the same version used by bcb6, too) gives the same errors with the same code as does bcc551(the version used by Ideswa) - which is partly why I made my earlier suggestion.

Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom

your compile is ancient

That's a fair point - the compiler is getting old (2001/2002), so, perhaps, a change to a more modern compiler might not be a bad idea.

>> why use the std namespace if you're using depreciated libraries?
BTW, the word is deprecated (depreciated means something different), and <iostream.h> isn't deprecated anyway, it is completely non-standard.

I'm getting errors in source codes that compile excellent in Borland!
I have to write them all over again!!!