Issue
How to read Windows directory/file information such as disk free space and file size from Plain English.
Environment
CyberStation
Cause
Documentation
Resolution
Plain English can’t access the windows file system directly but a batch file can be used to write certain information from windows directories and files then the created file can be read and parsed by a Plain English program running in the CyberStation.
Here is an example:
-A batch file (DIskspace.bat ) is created on the disk.
-A Plain English program running in the CyberStation uses the Shell command to run the batch file.
-The batch file outputs disk information to DSKSPACE.TMP and DSKSPACE2.TMP
-PE program parses DSKSPACE2.TMP to obtain the amount of free space on the disk and puts it in an Analog Value object in CyberStation.
NOTE:
PE code is shown here for illustration purposes only, it is up to the programmer to implement an verify a solution appropriate for his/her use case.
The Plain English program uses the shell command to run the batch file.
Shell "cmd.exe /c DiskSpace.bat"
The Plain English program uses the OpenFile and ReadFile commands to get to the information
OpenDskspace:
OpenFile("\winnt\System32\DSKSPACE2.TMP", ReadOnly, Dskspace)
Goto ReadDskspace
ReadDskspace:
Result = ReadFile(Dskspace, localSTR, 128, CharsRead, "|13")
If Result = Eof then Goto DoneReading
Then parses the information using the Search command
If search(localSTR, "bytes free") > 0 then
BytesFreePoint = StrToNum(left(localSTR, len(localSTR) - 10))
