os.popen3 unsave/limited?

[Johannes Eble]

Hello all,

I am using AktivePython 2.1 (WinPython) and Win98.
I want to redirect stderr to Python.
I have tried to execute a DOS exe file (a compiler) with os.popen3
with many options. That is, the string for the options is longer than
128 Bytes. Then the whole WinPython doesn't respond anymore (after
reading the stderr stream in Python) and I have to kill it from the
Taskbar.

I know that there is a 128 Byte string limit for options in DOS (it is
in the command.com). Does this limit also exist with os.popen3? If
yes, is there a workaround?

And what could be the reason that PythonWin crashes with the compiler?

It also happens with no compiler options so it doesn't seem to have
somthing to do with the string limit. Maybe somebody has already used
os.popen3 in a launcher for a compiler.

By the way: The exe file is SmallEiffel (Eiffel to C) which invokes
another C compiler (LCC) and linker (LNKLCC). I get an error message
from the linker in the dos box, but it definitely doesn't crash in the
dos box.

Any help would be nice.

ByeBye

Johannes