why system () command not work in GCC ?

[Richard Tyler]

I have Win XP. When I open the DOS prompt using "cmd", and then,
from the DOS command line, I type a command like this, it works:

c:/cygwin/bin/ls > file.txt


When I try to compile the following C program using GCC, it does compile, but when I run the executable, the system () command doesn't run. Anyone knows how to fix this code to make it run? Thanks.

#include "stdio.h" 
#include "string.h"
#include "stdlib.h" 

main (argc, argv)


int argc;
char *argv [];

 
{       
  system ("c:/cygwin/bin/ls > file.txt");


  return 0;
}

[ZuK]

I would try the unix path

  system ("/cygdrive/c/cygwin/bin/ls > file.txt");

Kurt

[ledow]

Not only is that the ugliest function definition I've seen in a while, that's a horrible way to use system.

First, your slashes are the wrong way around for Windows anyway.
Second, I think that file redirections in a system command is possibly the ugliest thing you can do.
Third, you're using the system command to list files in a directory. There are perfectly good functions for that for any given platform.
Fourth, as mentioned, if you're in a Cygwin environment, paths may be different (and will also be affected by the correct slash which is / for Unix and \ for Windows - Hey, I didn't write the rules...)
Fifth, almost certainly you haven't compiled with warnings enabled.

But, really, most importantly, quite vitally? Throw away your tutorial / book that taught you to do things that way.

[Richard Tyler]

I would try the unix path

  system ("/cygdrive/c/cygwin/bin/ls > file.txt");

Kurt

I compiled this, and it doesn't work in the DOS prompt either.

[stahta01]

FYI:

Some commands that run from the cmd prompt requires the prefix "cmd /c" if NOT running from the command prompt.

It is likely that you need to do the "cd" command to verify the system command is being ran where you think it is.

system ("cmd /c c:/cygwin/bin/ls > file.txt");

Tim S.

[Richard Tyler]

FYI:

Some commands that run from the cmd prompt requires the prefix "cmd /c" if NOT running from the command prompt.

It is likely that you need to do the "cd" command to verify the system command is being ran where you think it is.

system ("cmd /c c:/cygwin/bin/ls > file.txt");

Tim S.

Thanks Tim for your reply. I have tried that also. It works in the shell for cygwin, but running the executable in the DOS prompt,
that system command won't run at all.