Create GUI or Executable For Script

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Hi all.

I've got a unix script at work that I just got done with. Now they want me to write some simple way to run it on Windows. Right now we log into a Solaris server using Hummingbird Exceed to gain a terminal. Im thinking that there really isn't any good way to get Windows and the server to work together. The other option would be to create a GUI that can be executed from the terminal.

Its an #sh script that has some flags that can be run.

Ex. script -y 2009 -abc

I've never dealt with GUIs so I'm too sure where to start here. Any pointers would be a great help.

Thanks!

2

Basic premise of solution:

create a login on the unix account that has permissions to run this script.
In the last line .profile ( or .login ) of the account's home directory,
add the line:

exec /fullpath/to/my/script

Then, simply create a DOS batch program that fires up the Xterm which can be configured to auto-login to the UNIX.

Bam and bam.

---------- Post updated at 01:09 PM ---------- Previous update was at 01:06 PM ----------

this solution would work with the Xstart program provided by Hummingbird X-server.
and a dos bat file.

---------- Post updated at 01:13 PM ---------- Previous update was at 01:09 PM ----------

oh.... and perl Tcl/Tk interface lets you do X-based graphics programs.

there was another X-based UNIX scripting language that was reeeeally easy to
use, but it's not on my system.... I think it began with the letter "z" and someone
on this site once mentioned it. I totally forgot what it was.
will research and get back with you.

---------- Post updated at 01:23 PM ---------- Previous update was at 01:13 PM ----------

Found it. The name of the UNIX Graphics tool is "zenity".

3

Another way would be to use dtksh (Desk Top Korn Shell) , which ships on Solaris as part of CDE. dtksh evolved from wksh (Windowing Korn Shell). It has a full graphical X-Window toolkit and can be used to write a GUI wrapper for a shell script.

4

I dont think I will be able to use the first suggestion of using the batch file as the script is used by many people. Perl Tcl/Tk and dtksh sound promising though.

I might give Xdialog a try for a really basic UI if its on the solaris box.

Just to check, dtksh can wrap a standard sh script correct?

5

dtksh can not only wrap a standard sh script....
it can RUN a standard sh script.

Just change the first line of your sh script to

#!/usr/. . . .. . /wherever-my-dtksh-is/....../dtksh

6

Here is an article about dtksh which appeared in the Linux Journal that might help you understand what this shell can do for you.