# Ruby, Windows XP, and CMD.exe **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [December 12, 2006, 2:11am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092 "2006-12-12T02:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowdall)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2006, 2:11am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092/1 "2006-12-12T02:11:14Z")
Hello all, I am developing a SOAP server running on a Windows XP machine. When contacted from the outside, it will launch a windows executable at the command line. The problem is this executable takes a long time. When I would block on the SOAP call I would get a time out error on the client end, as one would expect. So when I put the command in a thread it would still cause a timeout even though it would pass the point of executing the command line app. It still seems that the method inside the SOAP::RPC::StandaloneServer blocks until all the threads clear. I’ve also tried using the windows “start” command to kick this thing off. But again, the method blocks until the windows app finishes. I also tried using exec(“my\_app.exe”) if fork.nil? In that case the SOAP meothd returns to the client but the windows app is prematurely cut off before finishing. Essentially, I need something along the lines of “command &” from unix for windows. Any ideas? Thanks in advance, Snowdall ---
**Author:** ![snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowdall)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092/2 "2006-12-12T02:46:59Z")
Which one send you ‘time out error’? IIS Server ? or Another? If You use IIS, try to chang option of IIS. 2006/12/12, Clark S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): ---
**Author:** ![snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowdall)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2006, 8:03am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092/3 "2006-12-12T08:03:29Z")
On Tue, 12 Dec 2006, Clark S. wrote: > It still seems that the method inside the SOAP::RPC::StandaloneServer > for windows. Any ideas? > > Thanks in advance, > Snowdall require ‘rubygems’ require ‘systemu’ # gem install systemu cmd = ‘your.app’ t = Thread.new{ systemu cmd } # run in background # stuff status, stdout, stderr = t.value # get info later iff needed regards. -a ---
**Author:** ![snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowdall)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092/4 "2006-12-12T22:28:51Z")
On Wed, 13 Dec 2006, David V. wrote: > Clark S. wrote: > > > I am developing a SOAP server running on a Windows XP machine. When > > contacted from the outside, it will launch a windows executable at the > > command line. The problem is this executable takes a long time. When I > > would block on the SOAP call I would get a time out error on the client > > end, as one would expect. > > How are you launching that process? > > system() or `` are Bad Ideas, IO.popen should do what you need. why would say that? IO.popen and more than one thread is a disaster on windows: if the parent doesn’t read from the process fast enough one will end up with deadlock. regards. -a ---
**Author:** ![snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowdall)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092/5 "2006-12-12T22:02:43Z")
Clark S. wrote: > I am developing a SOAP server running on a Windows XP machine. When > contacted from the outside, it will launch a windows executable at the > command line. The problem is this executable takes a long time. When I > would block on the SOAP call I would get a time out error on the client > end, as one would expect. How are you launching that process? system() or `` are Bad Ideas, IO.popen should do what you need. David V. ---
**Author:** ![snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowdall)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092/6 "2006-12-13T04:45:36Z")
> Essentially, I need something along the lines of “command &” from unix > for windows. Any ideas? Perl’s “system” function has an undocumented feature that allows you to call: system(1, “command”); And the command is run “detached” - in a separate process. Under the hood, the Win32 CreateProcess function is used. Maybe Ruby’s “system” borrowed the feature ? Also, Perl’s Win32::Process module allows to do it more directly. It also calls CreateProcess under the hood, and you need to provide the CREATE\_NEW\_PROCESS\_GROUP flag to it in order to “detach”. Perhaps Ruby’s equivalent module can be used. Sorry for the Perl-talk, I’m still not too proficient with Ruby libraries. Hope this helps, though ---
**Author:** ![snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowdall)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092/7 "2006-12-13T19:52:25Z")
> why would say that? IO.popen and more than one thread is a disaster on > windows: if the parent doesn’t read from the process fast enough one > will end > up with deadlock. > > regards. > > -a IO.popen wins! I tried the systemu first and yes that would return, but it never actually launched my app. In fact when I made cmd = ‘cmd.exe’ it didn’t even launch it. I also tried it with cmd = 'START my\_app.exe" but that also didn’t work. But once I tried IO.popen that worked out of the box. Thanks to all who helped out on this one. Snowdall ---
**Author:** ![snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@snowdall](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowdall)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-windows-xp-and-cmd-exe/79092/8 "2006-12-13T20:33:21Z")
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid wrote: > > How are you launching that process? > > > > system() or `` are Bad Ideas, IO.popen should do what you need. > > why would say that? IO.popen and more than one thread is a disaster on > windows: if the parent doesn’t read from the process fast enough one > will end > up with deadlock. I made (unconsciously) a guess that it’s a fire-and-forget subprocess, the simpler case why it would be necessary that it doesn’t block the parent. Seems (from the later followup) I guessed right, but thanks for bringing that point up for cases when it isn’t, I’m admittedly flaky when it comes to process synchronisation. David V.