NSTaskMBS.arguments as string()

NSTaskMBS.Constructor

On success the handle value is not zero.

NSTaskMBS.Destructor

NSTaskMBS.environment as dictionary

The dictionary keys are the environment variable names.
(Read and Write computed property)

NSTaskMBS.interrupt

If the task terminates as a result, which is the default behavior, an NSTaskDidTerminateNotification gets sent to the default notification center. This method has no effect if the receiver was already launched and has already finished executing. If the receiver has not been launched yet, this method raises an NSInvalidArgumentException.
It is not always possible to interrupt the receiver because it might be ignoring the interrupt signal. interrupt sends SIGINT.

NSTaskMBS.launch

// Launch "ls -l -a -t" in the current directory, and then read the result into a string:

dim task as new NSTaskMBS

task.launchPath = "/bin/ls"

dim arguments(-1) as string = array("-l", "-a", "-t")

task.setArguments arguments

dim pipe as new NSPipeMBS

task.setStandardOutput pipe

dim file as NSFileHandleMBS = pipe.fileHandleForReading

task.launch

dim data as string = file.readDataToEndOfFile
dim text as string = DefineEncoding(data, encodings.UTF8)

MsgBox text

Raises an NSInvalidArgumentException if the launch path has not been set or is invalid or if it fails to create a process.
If you get an exception with posix_spawn and error 13, that's a permission denied.

NSTaskMBS.resume as boolean

If multiple suspend messages were sent to the receiver, an equal number of resume messages must be sent before the task resumes execution.

NSTaskMBS.setArguments(arguments() as string)

// Performing complex pipelines.
// You can create multiple NSTasks and a bunch of NSPipes and hook them together,
// or you can use the "sh -c" trick to feed a shell a command, and let it parse
// it and set up all the IPC. This pipeline cats /usr/share/dict/words, finds
// all the words with 'ham' in them, reverses them, and shows you the last 5.

dim task as new NSTaskMBS

task.LaunchPath="/bin/sh"

dim arguments(-1) as string

arguments.Append "-c"
arguments.Append "cat /usr/share/dict/words | grep -i ham | rev | tail -5"

task.setArguments arguments

NSTaskMBS.setStandardError(p as NSFileHandleMBS)

This method can be used with NSPipeMBS or NSFileHandleMBS object.

If file is an NSPipe object, launching the receiver automatically closes the write end of the pipe in the current task. Don't create a handle for the pipe and pass that as the argument, or the write end of the pipe won't be closed automatically.
If this method isn't used, the standard error is inherited from the process that created the receiver. This method raises an NSInvalidArgumentException if the receiver has already been launched.

See also:

• setStandardError(p as NSPipeMBS)

Some examples using this method:

• /MacCocoa/NSTask/NSTask with Arguments
• /MacCocoa/readToEndOfFileInBackgroundAndNotify Test

NSTaskMBS.setStandardError(p as NSPipeMBS)

This method can be used with NSPipeMBS or NSFileHandleMBS object.

If file is an NSPipe object, launching the receiver automatically closes the write end of the pipe in the current task. Don't create a handle for the pipe and pass that as the argument, or the write end of the pipe won't be closed automatically.
If this method isn't used, the standard error is inherited from the process that created the receiver. This method raises an NSInvalidArgumentException if the receiver has already been launched.

See also:

• setStandardError(p as NSFileHandleMBS)

NSTaskMBS.setStandardInput(p as NSFileHandleMBS)

file: The standard input for the receiver, which can be either an NSFileHandle or an NSPipe object.

If file is an NSPipe object, launching the receiver automatically closes the read end of the pipe in the current task. Don't create a handle for the pipe and pass that as the argument, or the read end of the pipe won't be closed automatically.
If this method isn't used, the standard input is inherited from the process that created the receiver. This method raises an NSInvalidArgumentException if the receiver has already been launched.

See also:

• setStandardInput(p as NSPipeMBS)

NSTaskMBS.setStandardInput(p as NSPipeMBS)

file: The standard input for the receiver, which can be either an NSFileHandle or an NSPipe object.

If file is an NSPipe object, launching the receiver automatically closes the read end of the pipe in the current task. Don't create a handle for the pipe and pass that as the argument, or the read end of the pipe won't be closed automatically.
If this method isn't used, the standard input is inherited from the process that created the receiver. This method raises an NSInvalidArgumentException if the receiver has already been launched.

See also:

• setStandardInput(p as NSFileHandleMBS)

NSTaskMBS.setStandardOutput(p as NSFileHandleMBS)

file: The standard output for the receiver, which can be either an NSFileHandle or an NSPipe object.

If file is an NSPipe object, launching the receiver automatically closes the write end of the pipe in the current task. Don't create a handle for the pipe and pass that as the argument, or the write end of the pipe won't be closed automatically.
If this method isn't used, the standard output is inherited from the process that created the receiver. This method raises an NSInvalidArgumentException if the receiver has already been launched.

See also:

• setStandardOutput(p as NSPipeMBS)

Some examples using this method:

• /MacCocoa/NSTask/NSTask
• /MacCocoa/NSTask/NSTask live output
• /MacCocoa/NSTask/NSTask traceroute
• /MacCocoa/NSTask/NSTask with Arguments
• /MacCocoa/readToEndOfFileInBackgroundAndNotify Test

NSTaskMBS.setStandardOutput(p as NSPipeMBS)

file: The standard output for the receiver, which can be either an NSFileHandle or an NSPipe object.

If file is an NSPipe object, launching the receiver automatically closes the write end of the pipe in the current task. Don't create a handle for the pipe and pass that as the argument, or the write end of the pipe won't be closed automatically.
If this method isn't used, the standard output is inherited from the process that created the receiver. This method raises an NSInvalidArgumentException if the receiver has already been launched.

See also:

• setStandardOutput(p as NSFileHandleMBS)

NSTaskMBS.standardError as Variant

The standard error file used by the receiver.

Standard error is where all diagnostic messages are sent. The object returned is either an NSFileHandle or an NSPipe instance, depending on what type of object was passed to setStandardError.

NSTaskMBS.standardInput as Variant

The standard input file used by the receiver.

Standard input is where the receiver takes its input from unless otherwise specified. The object returned is either an NSFileHandle or an NSPipe instance, depending on what type of object was passed to the setStandardInput method.

NSTaskMBS.standardOutput as Variant

Standard output is where the receiver displays its output. The object returned is either an NSFileHandle or an NSPipe instance, depending on what type of object was passed to the setStandardOutput method.

NSTaskMBS.suspend as boolean

Returns true if the receiver was successfully suspended, false otherwise.

Multiple suspend messages can be sent, but they must be balanced with an equal number of resume messages before the task resumes execution.

NSTaskMBS.terminate

If the task terminates as a result, which is the default behavior, an NSTaskDidTerminateNotification gets sent to the default notification center. This method has no effect if the receiver was already launched and has already finished executing. If the receiver has not been launched yet, this method raises an NSInvalidArgumentException.
It is not always possible to terminate the receiver because it might be ignoring the terminate signal. terminate sends SIGTERM.

NSTaskMBS.waitUntilExit

dim args(-1) as string
dim task as NSTaskMBS = NSTaskMBS.launchedTaskWithLaunchPath("/bin/ls", args)

task.waitUntilExit

MsgBox "done"

This method first checks to see if the receiver is still running using isRunning. Then it polls the current run loop using NSDefaultRunLoopMode until the task completes.

Some examples using this method:

• /MacCocoa/NSTask/NSTask
• /MacCocoa/NSTask/NSTask live output
• /MacCocoa/NSTask/NSTask with Arguments