Expect spawn command is crashing: mostly silent failure
bluemo...@gmail.com
I'm having a maddening problem with an expect script I need to use.
The script works fine on my laptop (WinXP), but I've tried to install
ActiveTCL on another desktop (still WinXP) to use the script and it is
causing the tcl shell to crash... Here is all I have to do to get a
crash
launch tclsh84
package require Expect
spawn telnet 138.120.212.102
(wait for 1, 2, 3, seconds and kaboom)
Windows is kind enough to give me a window asking to report the
problem. The only debug information I have is as follows, just don't
ask me what it means
EventType: BEX P1: tclsh84.exe P2: 8.4.2.11 P3:
434a007f P4: dbghelp.dll P5: 5.1.2600.2180 P6:
4110969a P7: 0001295d P8: c0000409 P9: 00000000
You may notice that P2 says 8.4.2.11... That is not a typo. I checked
repeatedly and that's really what is says. However, I don't know what
P2 is. Im using ActiveTcl 8.4.11.2
Here is a link to another person who had the exact same problem as me
but at a different time
http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Mail/Message/expect/2726824
However I can't find if there was ever a solution
Like I said, I am using ActiveTCL 8.4.11.2, because that is what we
have to work with. I tried installing the latest and greatest 8.4.14,
but I get the same problem and the same crash point. I have searched
the registry in windows for differences to no avail, and I have mapped
all the environmental variables between my laptop and the other
computer.
I have discovered that the problem does not seem dependent on using
telnet.exe. I can blow up tclsh just as easy by trying to spawn an
instance of ftp.
The only difference I can think of between the two machines is that my
laptop is on a different subnet that the desktop, the desktop also has
a fixed IP address... but that's more network related stuff, and like
I said, I can blow up tcl with ftp just as easy as I can with telnet
How can I begin to debug this issue?
David Gravereaux
> Here is a link to another person who had the exact same problem as me
> but at a different time
> http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Mail/Message/expect/2726824
> However I can't find if there was ever a solution
http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Mail/Message/expect/3117205
Read through that thread and post back here about your results. This is a *VERY*
common problem, so common it should come with flashing text. Maybe the fix should
be part of the AS installer?
summary:
1) dbghelp.dll that comes with XPsp2 is very, very, very broken.
2) AMD processors with XP are security enhanced by default and break E4W's console
trapping method in a silent, hidden and untrappable manner.
--
"When life gives you a lemon, make lemonade." -Susie "I say, when life gives
you a lemon, wing it right back and add some lemons of your own!" -Calvin