Problem with length of line in BAT

[aintnomistery]

Hi everyone and Merry Christmas, before all.


I am using 2021.05.01 version of VDOS, and it works like a charm. I remember having some older version to stop working and freezing, but this one is magnificent. No any problem.

And then I run into a problem with BAT file.

I am using a BAT file, which contains one line only with start of external program which send email. That line is quite long, usually between 210 and 230 characters.

Unfortunately, VDOS cuts what is in BAT to 127 characters.

And this program SENDEMAIL1.56 which I use have no other way for starting but this, in one line.

I do not know is it possible, like in Clipper to cut long lines in BAT with ; or any other way.

Anyone have an idea?

Kindest regards.

[Jos]

The maximum length of a line is 127 characters, and there’s no way to extend this.

Even if so, that wouldn’t help you (much), the command line passed on to a program is limited to 126 characters.

SENDEMAIL1.56 doesn’t support a configuration file with the settings that are fixed? Like the SMTP server, port, login…

If not, you could have a look at for instance SwithMail, www.tbare.com/software/swithmail/. Very versatile and a comfortable GUI interface to manage the settings.

Jos

[martin]

You can try to use a different commandline-interpreter with vDos, e.g. 4DOS (https://www.4dos.info/). 4DOS seems to allow more characters in command line than the build-in command-processor. Also the LOADHIGH-command for UMB seems to work.

HTH

Martin

[aintnomistery]

Stupid question, how to implement 4DOS instead of CMD ?

[Jos]

Basically you start 4DOS.COM with the program or batch file name.

But as said, you’ll then run into the 126 character limit of the command line passed on to the program.

Jos

[martin]

After installing 4DOS in its own directory (par example C:\vDos\4DOS), start 4DOS.COM from the vDos-command-line. On the first run, this will start the 4DOS-Installing-Procedure, just answer NO to any questions about changing autoexec.bat and config.sys.

Upon now, you can start 4DOS with your program, p.e C:\vDos\4Dos\4dos.com /c C:\vdos\program\program.exe (or program.bat) - note that you have to use the vDos, not the Windows paths. This will start 4DOS, 4DOS will start the program. If the program ends, 4DOS ends and you will be back in the internal commandline-interpreter.

To test 4DOS, just run C:\vdos\4dos\4Dos.com without parameters. You will get the 4DOS-commandline. Type EXIT to go back to the internal interpreter.

You have to set COMSPEC to 4DOS, so type

set COMSPEC=C:\vDos\4DOS\4DOS.COM

before starting 4DOS (with or without parameters).

You also can - as an alternative -  create a 4START.BTM with the set command. This will be executed immediatly after starting 4DOS and before program.exe or .bat

You can type HELP at the 4DOS-Prompt to access the 4DOS-Help-System.

HTH

Martin