DOS/batch under UNIX?

[Leslie Mikesell]

In article <371 at arnor.UUCP> uri at arnor.watson.ibm.COM () writes:

>	Can one running VP/ix (let's say 1.0.6 for instance), start
>	DOS Batch session? As you know, VP/ix locks up the terminal
>	it was activated from - so even if you do have virtual con-	
>	soles, it doesn't help a lot. But is it possible to run DOS
>	tasks in the background, somehow invoking VP/ix (or whatever
>	can be better)?

VP/ix should not block on a virtual console unless the program is
using graphic modes, but you still have to start it manually and
switch away.  If you want to run things automatically from unix
or start them in the background, try connecting the input to a
pipe (even if it doesn't need any input) and re-directing output.
For example, doing:
VT 1>  dos dir </dev/null >/tmp/dir 2>&1 &
  gives an error message, but
VT 1>  echo | dos dir >/tmp/dir 2>&1 &
  works as you would expect.
You can also run non-interactive dos progams in a GNU emacs window or
with the :r !cmd command of vi, but you get the usual DOS cr/lf unless
you pipe through something to remove the cr's (or in GNU you can use
kermit.el and enable kermit-clean).

Les Mikesell