ConsoleWrite binary mode

[divinity76@…]

ConsoleRead has a binary mode, so it seems fitting that ConsoleWrite should have a binary mode as well. for backwards-compatibility it should be off-by-default and optional, i suggest changing it to

ConsoleWrite ( "data" [, binary = False] )

here is test code to see how ConsoleWrite currently handles binary data:

$test="";
for $i = 0 To 255
   $test = $test & Chr($i);
Next
ConsoleWrite($test);

• it prints absolutely nothing, because ConsoleWrite stops writing at the first null-byte, which is generated by the first Chr($i=0) call. related forum thread at ​https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/202893-are-string-variables-binary-safe/

[J-Paul Mesnage]

If you know your parameter to ConsolWrite is a binary just use ConsolWrite(BinaryToString($Data))
we will not Change the ConsoleWrite for such easy handling of Binary if needed
Cheers

[divinity76@…]

BinaryToString is not a good solution, it would corrupt binary data, also for some reason, this prints absolutely nothing:

ConsoleWrite(BinaryToString(Chr(0) & "ABCDEFG"));

• absolutely nothing will be printed, but even if it was printed, a conversion to something non-binary would cause data corruption

lets take a more complex, and real, example: trying to implement the Unix Cat program in AutoIt ( ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_(Unix) ),

a program available on all Linux and MacOS systems, but not shipped with Windows,

a simple implementation would probably look something like:

; PS! this code must be compiled with Aut2exe.exe with the /console argument!
; first read stdin
Local $stdinData
While True
    $stdinData = ConsoleRead(False,True);
    If @error Then ExitLoop
    If(StringLen($stdinData) == 0) Then ExitLoop
    ConsoleWrite($stdinData);
WEnd

; then read all files in arguments
For $i = 1 To $cmdLine[0] Step 1
    ConsoleWrite(FileRead($cmdLine[$i]));
Next

but this script would fail to cat any files with NULL bytes in them,

and if you did ConsoleWrite(BinaryToString(FileRead($cmdLine[$i]))); , then it would *corrupt* binary files, wouldn't it?

[divinity76@…]

@Jpm if you really believe that "stdout data corruption is an acceptable alternative to a binary write mode", then you're a moron.

[Jon]

Fixed by revision [12718] in version: 3.3.15.6

[Jon]

Fixed by revision [12721] in version: 3.3.16.1