[Tutor] Possible problems using a windows .bat file to run a program?

[D-Man]

On Thu, Apr 12, 2001 at 01:47:36PM -0700, folklore hopeful wrote:
| I was wondering if there are any potential problems in using a
| windows desktop shortcut to run a batch file which runs a python
| program.  Basically, I have a nifty little program that is useful in
| the office, but the people using the program are computer-challanged
| and the word "DOS" sounds confusing to them.  So, currently, I am
| having them double click on a batchfile which runs:

The python installer sets the file associations so that they can
double click on a .py or .pyw file and it will run in python.  The
biggest problem with that is getting a traceback, and windows closing
the DOS-box before the message can be read.

| I've had reports of the program giving error messages and etc. and
| that computers had to be rebooted so that the program would work.
| Any ideas what the problem might be?  

Windows <wink>

| How can I avoid this?

Use Debian <wink>.  apt-get rules.  No rebooting necessary except for
power outages, new kernels, or testing boot loaders and init sequence
<grin>.



Seriously, though, windows is _very_ reboot-happy.  (Ever try to set
up networking?  Each change requires a reboot! =p)  After installing
anything (apps, drivers, you name it) windows must be rebooted to work
semi-reliably.  (IMO windows doesn't work any better than
semi-reliably)

Another potential solution would be to put a 
    raw_input( "Press [enter] to quit this app" )
at the end of your program so that error messages (the DOS-box) will
stay on-screen until you can read them.  Without knowing the actual
error message it is hard to guess what the real problem is.



Is your program a console or gui app?  If it is a gui app then you
might want to rename the main .py file to .pyw to eliminate the DOS
box.

-D