redirection Windows shell out to variable

[born in USSR]

i want to execute Windows shell commands in my script so that the result
came back in a variable and the new window of a Windows command line
(MS-DOS-session) didn't open.
i write:

a='dir'
system(a)

and i see out of 'dir' in window of command line, but i need to get it
into local variable.
And another question:
every time when rubyscript was run command line window is opening, even
if i compile script by exerb. Is it possible to hide window or run
script/rubyexefile without command line window and how if yes?

 

[Sven Schott]

[Note: parts of this message were removed to make it a legal post.]

You can use the backtick (or backquote) operator ` which is ASCII character
96:

e.g.

a = `dir`

which will give you a string with the stdout of the executed shell. Not that
I would recommend using it with dir mind you.

 

[Gordon Thiesfeld]

And another question:
every time when rubyscript was run command line window is opening, even
if i compile script by exerb. Is it possible to hide window or run
script/rubyexefile without command line window and how if yes?

Run it with rubyw.exe, instead of ruby.exe.