How to redirect the output of IconX to a file

[tygre]

Dear all!

I am using IconX to run scripts. Usually, I use the tooltype: "WINDOW=KCON:<bunch of parameters>" to see the output of my scripts in a KCON window.

Now, how could I redirect the output to a file?

I thought that it would be simple to tell IconX to redirect its output to a file instead of a console but then realised that there is no device "FILE:". I tried to use the tootype "WINDOW=RAM:Somefile.txt" but it does not work: no file "Somefile.txt" is created in RAM:.

I think that I am missing something here but... what?

Thanks in advance!
Yann

[mfilos]

Why don't you redirect your commands output to a file?
Like for example "copy dh0: dh1: ALL CLONE >ram:copylog.txt"

[tygre]

Well, yes, but it is so much less elegant and so much more changes! IconX can redirect its output to CON:, KCON:, or NIL: so why not to a file?

Any idea or advice?
Yann

[thomas]

Run Snoopdos and you will see it: the file name specified behind WINDOW= is opened for input. This works fine for windows where you read and write, but fails for real files.

There are replacements for iconx. One famous is Xicon. I don't know if it works better, just a hint what to search for.

[tygre]

Thanks Thomas! I checked XIcon, CLICon, CLIExe, ToolX but none seems to offer the possibility to redirect the output to a file...

I am wondering now, what is a "CON" exactly? I found that a CON: replacement, called RCON, has a logging feature (but only activited from user-controlled menus), would it be possible to program a new kind of CON: that would output into a file?

Has anyone tried to program such a device before? How do they exactly work? Could anyone help/guide me?

Cheers!
Yann

[thomas]

would it be possible to program a new kind of CON: that would output into a file?

Would be easier to write an IconX that opens its file for writing.

Very easy

[tygre]

Very cool, Thomas Thanks a lot!

So, the "magic" is in the line: "out = Open(win, MODE_NEWFILE);" where the output is really opened? I tried it out but no file is created: when the file given as parameter to WINDOW is missing, SnoopDOS reports an Open and a Read that fail; when the file exists, SnoopDOS does not report anything (but I may have missed something...)

I tried using "WINDOW=RAM:Log.txt".

What am I doing wrong?

Cheers!
Yann

[thomas]

but I may have missed something

You need to change the icon's default tool from iconx to newiconx or rename newiconx to iconx.

Note that newiconx is not a full replacement for iconx. With newiconx you cannot read input from a window because the input handle supplied is 0. The documented way to have input and output handle equal is to supply the handle as input and supply 0 as output. I did it the other way round which might not be legal. It works for your purpose (output to a file) but is not a general solution.

To cut it short, you should not rename newiconx but rather change the icon's default tool.

[tygre]

Originally Posted by thomas

you should not rename newiconx but rather change the icon's default tool.

Weirdly enough, I cannot change the default tool from IconX to NewIconX: I change, press enter (to make sure it is entered), then press save and... it is still IconX that is the default tool Anyhow, I'll figure this one out by myself eventually: NewIconX works perfectly for my purpose! Thanks again Thomas!

Still, has anyone any idea how to create a new device, similar to CON:? Just curious...

Cheers!
Yann