When I created the AppletMaker tool I wanted to run the keygen.exe and jarsigner.exe programs and I had a lot of problems.

My solution was to use the Runtime because I also wanted to set the working directory. I ended up with the code below

The parameters are

1. cmd : the array of command strings. The first was a string for the absolute file location of the executable. If you don't use an absolute address then it must be on the systems's search path, also the absoulte location makes it more cross-platform.
2. new String[0] : an empty array because I did not want to change any environmental variables but I needed something so I could have the third parameter. (If I remember correctly putting null here threw up an assertion and it failed)
3. folder : a java.io.File object representing the working directory. You probably need this to indicate where the text files are stored.

1. import java.io.*;
2.  
   
3. Process p;
4. 
   
5. try {
6.     p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd, new String[0], folder);
7.     p.waitFor();
8.     error = p.exitValue();
9. } catch (InterruptedException e) {
10.     e.printStackTrace();
11. } catch (IOException e) {
12.     e.printStackTrace();
13. }

thanks, quarks!

the terminal shell script is (using absolute path):

1. oconv /Users/oat/Desktop/test/environ.rad /Users/oat/Desktop/test/plastic_mat.rad /Users/oat/Desktop/test/Form_A.rad > /Users/oat/Desktop/test/scene.oct

If the files are inside ' folder' then try

1. String[] cmd = {"/Applications/Radiance/HEAD_2012_06_23/ray/bin/oconv",
2.                 "environ.rad",
3.                 "plastic_mat.rad",
4.                 "Form_A.rad",
5.                 ">",
6.                 "scene.oct"};

I am not sure about the redirection symbol.

Try adding the following immediately after line 17

1. println("Error = " + error);

If no error is detected then it should be zero.

However, the Processing code was not able to activate the terminal and run the command.

I am not all that familiar with OSX but the code should run the program ' oconv' - it will not open a terminal shell window as there is no need. In AppletBuilder it executes keygen/jarsigner without opening a DOS window.

sorry for the late reply, quarks!

I tried ur suggestion but i got "Error = 2.0" message in the Processing console and the file I want to get is not generated ...

May I ask what "Error = 2.0" means?

A bit frustrated as I can't find a way to execute command line commands via Processing ....

1. import java.io.*;
2. 
   
3. String[] cmd = {"/usr/bin/oconv",
4.                          "/Users/oat/Desktop/test/environ.rad",
5.                          "/Users/oat/Desktop/test/plastic_mat.rad",
6.                          "/Users/oat/Desktop/test/Form_A.rad",
7.                          ">",
8.                          "/Users/oat/Desktop/test/scene.oct"};
9. 
   
10. File folder = new File(sketchPath);
11. 
    
12. Process p;
13. 
    
14. try {
15.     p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd, new String[0], folder);
16.     p.waitFor();
17.     float error = p.exitValue();
18.     println("Error = " + error);
19. } catch (InterruptedException e) {
20.     e.printStackTrace();
21. } catch (IOException e) {
22.     e.printStackTrace();
23. }

Hi, quarks, it seems the following method works:

A. put all the command line stuff in a shell script file "test.sh"

1. /usr/bin/oconv /Users/oat/Desktop/test/environ.rad /Users/oat/Desktop/test/plastic_mat.rad /Users/oat/Desktop/test/Form_A.rad > /Users/oat/Desktop/test/scene.oct

B. then use the following Processing script to 1) make the test.sh file executable (... which is like "chmod +x file" in MacOS), and 2) run it via Runtime()

1. import java.io.*;
2. 
   
3. String[] cmd = {"/bin/chmod",
   
4.                         "+x", 
   
5.                         "/Users/oat/Desktop/test/test.sh"
   
6.                         };
7. 
   
8. Process p1;
9. Process p2;
10. 
    
11. try {
12.     //p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd, new String[0], folder);
13.     p1 = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd); //run shell script to make the shell file executable
    
14.     p2 = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("/Users/oat/Desktop/test/test.sh"); //run the shell file
    
15.     p2.waitFor();
16.     float error = p2.exitValue();
17.     println("Error = " + error);
18. } catch (InterruptedException e) {
19.     e.printStackTrace();
20. } catch (IOException e) {
21.     e.printStackTrace();
22. }

May I ask what "Error = 2.0" means?

A non-zero value means the Process returned with an error although I am not sure what the actual error is,

You might try

1. import java.io.*;
2. File workFolder = new File("/Users/oat/Desktop/test");
3. String[] cmd = {"/usr/bin/oconv",
4.                          "environ.rad",
5.                          "plastic_mat.rad",
6.                          "Form_A.rad",
7.                          ">",
8.                          "scene.oct"};
9. 
   
10. File folder = new File(sketchPath);
11. 
    
12. Process p;
13. try {
14.     p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd, new String[0], workFolder);
15.     p.waitFor();
16.     float error = p.exitValue();
17.     println("Error = " + error);
18. } catch (InterruptedException e) {
19.     e.printStackTrace();
20. } catch (IOException e) {
21.     e.printStackTrace();
22. }

Not sure about the redirection symbol so also might try changing cmd to

1. String[] cmd = {"/usr/bin/oconv",
2.                          "environ.rad",
3.                          "plastic_mat.rad",
4.                          "Form_A.rad",
5.                          "> scene.oct"};

Hi, quarks, thank you very much!

However, the method you suggested doesn't seem to work at the moment. I'm not sure if it's related to the specific command I'm using here (i.e. oconv)

Anyway, the " write a batch or shell script file with all the commands and execute it via Processing" is a workaround for the time being ...

Thanks again!

... a general template for both Mac and Win system:

(all the commands and their parameters are stored in the .bat or .sh file)

1. import java.io.*;
2. import java.util.Properties; 
3. 
   
4. Properties props=System.getProperties();
5. String osName = props.getProperty("os.name");
6. String[] osNameArray = split(osName, " ");
7. 
   
8. //########################################################################
9. void setup(){
10.   println(osNameArray[0]);
11.   String batFile = "D:/test/test.bat";
12.   //String batFile = "/Users/oat/Desktop/test/test.sh";
13.   runCmd(osNameArray[0], batFile); 
14. }
15. 
    
16. //########################################################################
17. void draw(){
18. }
19. 
    
20. //########################################################################
21. void runCmd (String osName_, String batFile_) {
22.   // osName_  : name of system
23.   // batFile_ : full path and name of the batch/shell file with all commands inside
24.  
25.   if (osName_.equals("Mac")){
26.     String[] cmd_chmod = {"/bin/chmod", "+x", batFile_}; 
27.     Process p1;
28.     Process p2;   
29.     try {
30.         p1 = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd_chmod); //run shell cmd to make the shell file executable
31.         p2 = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(batFile_); //run the shell file
32.         p2.waitFor();
33.         float error = p2.exitValue();
34.         println("Error = " + error);
35.     } catch (InterruptedException e) {
36.         e.printStackTrace();
37.     } catch (IOException e) {
38.         e.printStackTrace();
39.     } 
40.   }
41.   else if (osName_.equals("Windows")) {
42.     Process pWin;
43.     try {
44.         pWin = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(batFile_); //run the bat file
45.         pWin.waitFor();
46.         float error = pWin.exitValue();
47.         println("Error = " + error);
48.     } catch (InterruptedException e) {
49.         e.printStackTrace();
50.     } catch (IOException e) {
51.         e.printStackTrace();
52.     }   
53.   }
54. }