Re: Screen flash when using cl.exe

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Owen (funk_at_highwaay.net)
Date: 05/04/04 

Date: Tue, 04 May 2004 09:48:11 -0500

PS This problem exists with the Visual C++ .NET 2003 compiler.

Owen wrote:
> I'm using an application (a Tcl/Tk app) that uses cl.exe to compile code
> in the background. One very annoying feature is that a DOS box is
> flashed to the screen and then withdrawn during linking. Imagine using
> this application to link thousands of executables and trying to use the
> machine while thousands of temporary DOS boxes appear and temporarily
> take focus away from the application you are using.
>
> The only other time that I have seen this is with using Intel's Fortran
> f90com.exe compiler (see Issue 185355). Intel is aware of the bug and
> maybe the same bug exists with Microsoft's cl.exe compiler.
>
> Here's the discussion of the issue with Intel Support. Maybe you
> Microsoft developers can implement this change in the code for Visual
> C++ as well?
>
> ---- BEGIN ISSUE DETAILS WITH INTEL ----
>
> In talking with Mr Lionel, I learned that your code uses _spawnvp to
> invoke f90com.exe. I request that it be replaced with CreateProcess.
> Here's a detailed response that I gave Steve:
>
> I've been able to create a stand-alone use case. An individual on the
> comp.lang.tcl newsgroup was kind enough to provide the explanation
> (which may I note appears in other applications which start without a
> console):
>
> --- BEGIN EXPLANATION ---
>
> When Windows starts a subprocess, it will try and attach it to a console
> unless the CreateProcess() call specifies that the child is "detached".
> Windows attaches the new process to the parent's console, if it has one;
> otherwise it creates a new console window for the child.
>
> Wish (the interpreter for Tk) starts subprocesses as "detached"
> children, which means that they do not have a console. If the child
> (make, in your example) then starts another process but doesn't provide
> the detached flag, Windows will create a console for this grandchild
> process. The implementation of _spawnXX() in Microsoft's libraries does
> not normally provide the detached flag.
>
> --- END EXPLANATION ---
>
> To exercise this explanation, I wrote two applications. The 1st use case
> had the first application launch the second application using _spawnXX
> using a WISH. The behavior I see with "ifl" launching "f90com" was
> reproduced. Then I modified the first application to use CreateProcess
> instead. Since Windows was going to create the console regardless, I set
> a flag (SW_HIDE) in CreateProcess to not show the window.
>
> How would I go about requesting for Intel to create an optional
> command-line for "ifl" (say /suppressSubconsoleWindowCreation) which
> would use CreateProcess (similar to the code below) instead of _spawnvp
> when launching f90com?
>
> Here's my code for launching the application via CreateProcess instead
> of _spawnvp. Note that stdout, stdin, and stderr are inherited from the
> parent.
>
> char command[] = "f90com.exe";
>
> STARTUPINFO si;
> PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;
>
> ZeroMemory(&si, sizeof(si));
> si.cb = sizeof(si);
> si.dwFlags = STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW | STARTF_USESTDHANDLES;
> si.hStdOutput = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
> si.hStdError = GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE);
> si.hStdInput = GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
> si.wShowWindow = SW_HIDE;
>
> ZeroMemory(&pi, sizeof(pi));
>
> // New process inherits handles from the calling process
> if (!CreateProcess(NULL, command, NULL, NULL,
> TRUE,
> NULL, NULL, NULL,
> &si, &pi)) {
> //
> // Big bad error
> //
> } else {
> WaitForSingleObject(pi.hProcess, INFINITE);
> }
>
> CloseHandle(pi.hProcess);
> CloseHandle(pi.hThread);
>

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