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From: t68@nikhefh.UUCP (Jos Vermaseren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: ...GEMBOOT... (really usage of shell_p)
Message-ID: <269@nikhefh.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 4-May-87 08:40:53 EDT
Article-I.D.: nikhefh.269
Posted: Mon May  4 08:40:53 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 5-May-87 03:30:06 EDT
References: <8704272221.AA01484@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: Nikhef-H, Amsterdam (the Netherlands).
Lines: 26
Summary: Where did the info about _shell_p come from ?

In article <8704272221.AA01484@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, K538915@CZHRZU1A.BITNET writes:
> Jos Vermaseren
> t68@nikhefh.uucp
> writes:
> >This variable is intended for shell programs that submit child processes.
> >The shell program can put here the address of one of its subroutines.
> >The child process sees then that there is a shell and can have the already
> >resident shell execute commands. .......................................
> Sorry Joe, but you are dreadfully wrong! As experiment shows shell_p is a
> pointer to a string (C-type) which contains the current search path. shell_p
> is used by a number of AES functions including rsrc_load. Any other usage
> of shell_p will probably crash a number of programs. Where did you get
> your info from?
> PS: It would be nice to have a system variable that does what you describe!

The info came only from Atari/Allan Pratt.
So if I'am wrong about it its because .............. ( choose yourself ).
If it would be nice to have such a variable I think that Atari should,
as soon as possible, designate one of the variables in the $500 range
for this purpose. It is really nice to have both an editor and a make
operating with a full escape to shell.

I hope this diminishes the confusion somewhat.

Jos Vermaseren
t68@nikhefh.uucp