exec("nimgrab 'https:// -- some problems on windows

[StefanSalewski]

I have these code in https://github.com/StefanSalewski/gintro/blob/master/gintro.nimble

try:
    exec("wget 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StefanSalewski/oldgtk3/master/oldgtk3/gobject.nim' -O gobject.nim")
  except:
    try:
exec("nimgrab 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StefanSalewski/oldgtk3/master/oldgtk3/gobject.nim' gobject.nim")

Worked fine in Linux, both wget and nimgrab.

Now windows users reported that for nimgrab they have to remove the single quotes (StefanSalewski/gintro#24). It is a bit strange that command behaves differently on Linux and Windows, and error message is not really helpful. And question is: Is this the (without single quotes) the recommended form for all OS?

exec("nimgrab https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StefanSalewski/oldgtk3/master/oldgtk3/gobject.nim gobject.nim")

[Araq]

Command line parsing is OS specific, Windows does not use single quotes iirc. No bug here.

[StefanSalewski]

OK no bug, but I would need a hint.

Is there a form for the exec string that should work for all OS, or do I have to test for OS and supply different command strings (with and without single quotes)

[dom96]

Is nimgrab's purpose literally to allow nimscript to download things?

Are we going to implement Nim programs for each case where the FFI cannot be used?

[StefanSalewski]

dom, the fact is that gintro needed 3 files from oldgtk3 package for compiling generator program. Only for this task, and generally users of gintro will not want to use and install full oldgtk3. So I was happy to get download of 3 single files working with wget. Araq told me then to use nimgrab instead for windows users.

Other ways would be:

• make gintro depend on oldgtk3
• do a full git clone of oldgtk3 only for install gintro
• copy 3 files from oldgtk3 package to gintro

[Araq]

Is nimgrab's purpose literally to allow nimscript to download things?

No, it's used by the installer.

Are we going to implement Nim programs for each case where the FFI cannot be used?

Even if it were for nimscript, it would be wise for the download feature. I can remove 'nimgrab' and ensure my Nim bulid doesn't download things, for a .compileTime proc things are harder to review. Note that "download" is actually misleading in the context of security, a download starts with sending data to some server. The "download" could send critical information to the server.

[Araq]

Is there a form for the exec string that should work for all OS, or do I have to test for OS and supply different command strings (with and without single quotes)

The version without quotes should work for both Unix and Windows.

[StefanSalewski]

OK, then I will remove the single quotes from the strings.