shell
Type
function
Summary
Runs a shell command and returns its output.
Syntax
the shell of <commandLine>
shell(<commandLine>)
Description
Use the shell function to execute a command line.
The commandLine must be a valid shell command on the current operating system. Use the shellCommand property to set the shell you want to use. The command is executed in the current defaultFolder.
If you use a file path in the shell command on a Windows system, the file path must be in Windows form, not the Unix-style file paths that LiveCode uses internally.
To prevent a console window from appearing when the shell command is executed, set the hideConsoleWindows property to true.
If you are having problems with the shell function, try executing the commandLine at your operating system's shell prompt. (For example, on an OS X system, try executing the commandLine in the Terminal window.) If a commandLine does not work at the shell prompt, it won't work with the shell function either, so trying this can be useful when debugging.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
commandLine | string |
Examples
local tMyList
put shell("ls -l *.txt") into tMyList -- returns a listing of the current dir on Unix
get shell(field "Command") -- runs the shell command entered into the field labelled "Command"
get shell("attrib main.rev +R") -- sets the read-only (+R or +r) attribute of file "main.rev" on MSWindows
get shell("say" && "hello world") -- Will say the phrase on MacOS
Related
function: screenName, shell
glossary: property, error message, return value, handler, execute, OS X, return, file path, debug, Unix, command line
keyword: string, stderr, stdout
property: hideConsoleWindows, defaultFolder, shellCommand
command: launch
control structure: function
Compatibility and Support
Introduced
LiveCode 1.0
OS
mac
windows
linux
Platforms
desktop
server