Hi,
I'm fairly sure not. But my reason for asking is that I have written a small exe in vb.net that reads the presets (instruments) of a soundfont2 file and puts them in a text file that is compatible with [popup]. I can use this to read the huge SGM-V2.01.sf2 (250mb) soundfont and use puredata to send program change/control change/nrpn etc. to fluidsynth/soundfont player.
I am reluctant to upload the exe. but would be happy to upload the vb.net source as text if anyone is interested.
But running the program external to puredata is clunky to say the least.

Cheers Balwyn

sf2-picker.zip

Hi Balwyn,

Did you try using [shell]? On Linux, I can execute other programs from it, so maybe it can do what you are looking for.

Cheers,
Gilberto

@Balwyn Start it from within........ yes.... you can sent the message [exec the_program.exe $::sys_libdir/directory_under_pd/file.extension( to [sys_gui]
........ run it within....... no...... or more exactly.... I don't think so...
David.

also [motex/system] my understanding is that it works on windows and shell does not. am i wrong^^

make sure there aren't any spaces or < characters in path_

@gsagostinho No [shell] on windows I think, thanks anyway

@whale-av [exec the_program.exe $::sys_libdir/directory_under_pd/file.extension( to [sys_gui]

Brilliant! it works! Is this tcl witchcraft?

The program has an error writing the file, because its trying to access the puredata program folder.
Should I set the path in the exe (which would require a save as dialog) or is there something in the message I could change

Cheers
Balwyn

@Balwyn Yes, you could try setting both the paths in full. I was forgetting that your .exe is probably not in the Pd/bin folder (I use it a lot with "wish.exe" while I am trying to build widgets to link to a tcl popup)......... so you could try putting the executable in the "bin" folder.....
I am in the same boat as you and @monetus.. I can get tcl/tk to do stuff, especially if I write a plugin for what I am trying to achieve. I can get popups to write back to the $::focused_window....... and so place objects into the window from which the popup was actioned...... but those objects have to be defined in the plugin. The next step is to write what I want into the objects, and automate their connection back to the call that activated the popup....... I am away working on shows for a while, so I might have time during the days to get a bit further.

What I want, and you and Monetus really need is is an object like [sys_gui] that can receive variables that are asked for.......... then widgets can be created that can send user input or user selected input back to Pd. I am nearly there.... but I would not object if someone else manages it first!

Have a look at this thread......... http://forum.pdpatchrepo.info/topic/10131/gui-plugins-where-are-redraw-colors-stored/7 where I posted more or less as far as I have travelled.....
David

@0123456789_9876543210 [system] works well, thank you. It does however open a command window but 'exit' fixes that.
@whale-av [sys_gui] working well now I've added the application path to the exe's output
I've noticed that I do not appear to need the tcl part of the message.
The main difference between the two methods is that [sys_gui] pauses Puredata until the exe is closed, a bit like a modal dialog box, which is perfect in this case.
here is the vb.net form1 code as a text file
sf2-inst-list(form1.vb).txt
Cheers
Balwyn

@Balwyn I forgot to say, although it is sort of obvious...... that the variable "$::sys_libdir" is what "wish" (i.e. the tcl code)........ knows to be the "Pd" folder path.
So if you are distributing your patch this is useful as it avoids path setting for the end user (if they put your files where you tell them to put them).......
But for vanilla users I think you would have to add [sys_gui] and it's .dll to your bundle.
David..

@Balwyn said:

It does however open a command window but 'exit' fixes that.

i am not on windows would you mind posting a screenshot? and are you using an exit command? if so what does that look like. just curious.

anyone using this on linux? does it do the same?

on mac it just opens the program or file.

@0123456789_9876543210 Hi, I'm using [system] without exit to load 'Fluidsynth' as it doesn't close the command window anyway.
I've opened the same exe in the screenshot one with 'exit' which opens the exe and then closes the command window and then one without 'exit' which first opens the command window then the exe (this also pauses puredata until the exe is closed. So they wouldn't both be able to open if the one without 'exit was opened first. Weirdly it does however cache the attempts to open and then they open when the command window is closed
'start' and 'exit' are part of the windows command line batch file syntax
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490890.aspx

Cheers Balwyn

If you needed to avoid the sys_gui external you could run the exec command in a gui plugin, maybe wrap it in a proc and bind that to a key.

And yes, running messages from within pd through the tcl interpreter would be damn useful. I haven't found a way yet without using sys_gui. But as @whale-av was saying, a toolbar or popup plugin is probably going to solve this. There's a lot to think about there.