ShellTask.h

//
//  ShellTask.h
//  
//
//  Created by Vincent Gable on 6/1/07.
//  vgableut (a-in-a-circle) yahoo (period) com
//  Copyright 2007 Vincent Gable, you're free to use this code in *any* way you like, but I'd really appreciate it if you told me what you used it for.  It could make my day.
//

#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>


@interface ShellTask : NSObject {
}
	//Returns an NSTask that is equvalent to 
	// sh -c <command>
	//where <command> is passed directly to sh via argv, and is NOT quoted (so ~ expansion still works).
	//stdin for the task is set to /dev/null .
	//Note that the PWD for the task is whatever the current PWD for the executable sending the taskForCommand: message.
	//Sending the task a - launch message will tell sh to run it.
	+ (NSTask*) taskForShellCommand:(NSString*)command;
	
	//executes command, without blocking any threads.
	+ (oneway void) executeShellCommandAsynchronously:(NSString*)command;
	
	//executes command, and returns it's output as a string.
	//Blocks untill every action in command has completed.
	//WARNING: Will gobble up memory if the command has **lots** of output.
	//         If the command has infinite output it will cause the system to slow down and eventually crash the caller.
	//NOTE: may deadlock under some circumstances if the output gets so big it fills the pipe.
	//See http://dev.notoptimal.net/search/label/NSTask for an overview of the problem, and a solution.
	//I have not experienced the problem myself, so I canÕt comment.
	+ (NSString*) executeShellCommandSynchronously:(NSString*)command;
@end