Re: How to run a GNAT program without starting a terminal session

[Jerry <list_email@icloud.com>]

On Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at 2:18:31 PM UTC-7, Jeffrey R. Carter wrote:
> Several techniques are discussed here:
> 
> https://superuser.com/questions/360247/run-a-shell-script-on-os-x-without-having-a-terminal-window-appear#612072
> 
> Platypus is one of them.

Thanks for that.

The Automator suggestion works just like trying to call the shell command from an Applescript--I think it's pretty much the same thing; the app seems to run, delaying for the total of several delay commands, but does not emit any sound.

However, my "Beep" function uses Character'val(7), the ASCII bell--macOS normally interprets this to play the default system sound which for some reason is not making it to my speakers when run from Automator/Applescript but does work when run from terminal. But I have a function called Execute_Shell() which binds to the C command like this: pragma Import(C, system). Then if I put

say hello

as the command string for Execute_Shell and drop it into the Automator workflow as described in your link, it _does_ work correctly. Applescript probably gets the same result.

The Alfred method looks interesting but I'm not going to try it out right now.

The method using the line

/usr/bin/automator /path/to/the/file.workflow

Also works the same--"say" works but not playing ASCII bell. However, it requires launching from a terminal.

Sort-of-bottom-line: Calling the Ada executable in Applescript or Automator without invoking a terminal will allow "say" and probably "afplay" to work but not ASCII bell . ASCII bell works when executing Ada from a terminal and also "say" and probably "afplay".

Jerry