os.startfile() still doesn't work with Unicode filenames

[roee88]

BPO	1451503
Nosy	@loewis, @theller, @birkenfeld, @birkenfeld
Files	startfile-unicode.diff

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = 'https://github.com/birkenfeld'
closed_at = <Date 2006-04-03.23:04:30.000>
created_at = <Date 2006-03-16.18:08:27.000>
labels = ['extension-modules']
title = "os.startfile() still doesn't work with Unicode filenames"
updated_at = <Date 2006-04-03.23:04:30.000>
user = 'https://bugs.python.org/roee88'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2006-04-03.23:04:30.000>
actor = 'loewis'
assignee = 'georg.brandl'
closed = True
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Extension Modules']
creation = <Date 2006-03-16.18:08:27.000>
creator = 'roee88'
dependencies = []
files = ['1925']
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 1451503
keywords = []
message_count = 8.0
messages = ['27797', '27798', '27799', '27800', '27801', '27802', '27803', '27804']
nosy_count = 5.0
nosy_names = ['loewis', 'theller', 'georg.brandl', 'georg.brandl', 'roee88']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'accepted'
stage = None
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue1451503'
versions = ['Python 2.4']

[roee88]

From 2.4.2 changelog:

>>Bug bpo-1007046: os.startfile() did not accept
unicode strings encoded in the file system encoding.

If the filename is unicode type and the encoding
isn't the default system encoding, all "unknown" (to
system encoding) characters are replaced by "?".
This is causing the os.startfile() to fail with
WindowsError: [Errno2]
Because the filename doesn't really have the "?".

[loewis]

Logged In: YES
user_id=21627

Well, it does work on Unicode strings when all characters
from the string come from the system code page; this got
implemented in response to bug bpo-1007046.

To fix this, the implementation should use ShellExecuteW
(except on Win9x). Would you like to work on a patch?

As a work-around, change your system code page so your file
names are supported.

[roee88]

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user_id=1111143

Sorry, but I can't work on a patch.

[birkenfeld]

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user_id=849994

Attaching patch. Please check.

[loewis]

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user_id=21627

The patch looks fine. Please apply.

[birkenfeld]

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user_id=849994

Rev. 43586.

[theller]

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user_id=11105

The patched file does not even compile.
I suggest a more careful review, or running the testsuite
(on affected system), or even better, a unittest.

[loewis]

Logged In: YES
user_id=21627

For the record: the patch *does* compile (though with
warnings), and passes the test suite, see the buildbot log
files for details.

Nevertheless, there were two serious bugs in the code, which
I fixed in 43611. Thanks for pointing that out.