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ms99y

asked on

ShellExecute-Running app.


I want to start an application from my Delphi app.To do that there are some API fucntions,(ShellExecute, ShellExecuteEx.)
the problem is that when I use the ShellExecuteEx, by using
WaitForSingleObject i can know that whether the launched app is terminated or not.(Because ShellExecuteEx give the handle of the application and a flag value which is SEE_MASKNOCLOSEPROCESS so that you can be informed when the app. is terminated).
  But ShellExecuteEx cannot be used in WINNT and my app must run on NT.
(In ShellExecute(which can be used on NT also.) there is no flag like SEE_MASKNOCLOSEPROCESS so you cannot call the WaitForSingleObject to understand the termination.)


Any help,

Later...
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ms99y

ASKER


By the way, Does anybody know how to search the answers and questions in this site for a specific subject..

(There are lots of questions and given answers but how to search ???)

ms99y
Later
Hello ms99y...

Here is a funtion that will do it...
Function WinExecAndWait(Path : string; Visibility : word) : word;

var

  InstanceID : THandle;

  PathLen : integer;

begin

  { inplace conversion of a String to a PChar }

  PathLen := Length(Path);

  Move(Path[1],Path[0],PathLen);

  Path[PathLen] := #0;

  { Try to run the application }

  InstanceID := WinExec(@Path,Visibility);

  if InstanceID < 32 then { a value less than 32 indicates an Exec error }

     WinExecAndWait := InstanceID

  else

  begin

    Repeat

      Application.ProcessMessages;

    until Application.Terminated or (GetModuleUsage(InstanceID) = 0);

    WinExecAndWait := 32;

  end;

end;

Hope this is what you need
//Viktor Ivanov
Try to use CreateProcess function
In the last parameter it return handles of process and primary thread

Param :
  Visibility : SW_NORMAL, SW_HIDE, ........

Example call : WinExecAndWait('C:\Windows\desktop\cool.exe',SW_NORMAL);

You can remove the WinExec procedure ,and enter ShellExec instead. That would be better I think...

//Viktor Ivanov
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ASKER


I will try your suggestions
  Thanx much

Avatar of ms99y

ASKER


I will try your suggestions
  Thanx much

If WinExec try to use ShellExec like this....
Don't forget to include the ShellAPI in the uses clause

Instead of having this line from the code I gave you before...
    InstanceID := WinExec(@Path,Visibility);
.use this one ....

InstanceID := ShellExec(0, 'open',PChar(Path),nil,nil, Visibility);

You can also have @Path instead of PChar(Path)... the way you prefer...
Hope this helps...

//Viktor Ivanov
I meant if WinExec doesn't work then try to use ShellExec

//Vik
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ASKER

Hi Vect,


  In your code you make a call to GetModuleUsage WINAPI function wh,ch is obsolete and deleted. I will examine the CreateProcess  which  vladika suggested.


Later,
ms99y,

Last 2 weeks, this Q'n is already answered several times :

PS. Don't use WinExec in 32bit programs! It's there for backworth compatability. Use CreateProcess instead!

Here is one of mine :

function WinExecAndWait32(FileName:String; Visibility :
integer):integer;
var
  zAppName:array[0..512] of char;
  zCurDir:array[0..255] of char;
  WorkDir:String;
  StartupInfo:TStartupInfo;
  ProcessInfo:TProcessInformation;
begin
  StrPCopy(zAppName,FileName);
  GetDir(0,WorkDir);
  StrPCopy(zCurDir,WorkDir);

  FillChar(StartupInfo,Sizeof(StartupInfo),#0);
  StartupInfo.cb := Sizeof(StartupInfo);
  StartupInfo.dwFlags := STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
  StartupInfo.wShowWindow := Visibility;
  if not CreateProcess(nil,
    zAppName, { pointer to command line string }
    nil, { pointer to process security attributes }
    nil, { pointer to thread security attributes }
    false, { handle inheritance flag }
    CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE or { creation flags }
    NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS,
    nil, { pointer to new environment block }
    nil, { pointer to current directory name }
    StartupInfo, ointer to STARTUPINFO }
    ProcessInfo) then Result := -1 { pointer to PROCESS_INF }
  else begin
    WaitforSingleObject(ProcessInfo.hProcess,INFINITE);
    GetExitCodeProcess(ProcessInfo.hProcess,Result);
  end;
end;

And here I refer to another, still open Q'n (although not really a Q'n, it's an answer on q'n which are frequently asked):

https://www.experts-exchange.com/topics/comp/lang/delphi/Q.10071798

About search : YES! It was needed! And NOW there IS a search engine, a small one, but heck it's good enough for now.
---> The home-page of E-E has now a search capability.

Regards, Zif.
What the ... are you talking about? :-)
ShellExecuteEx works in NT! (just tested it)

See Q.10071798 for an implementation.

/// John
erajoj,

what the ... am I talking about :

1. They were talking of WinExec
2. Then about CreateProcess
3. My comment : gave example of Createprocess
                AND refered to your question-example : see comment! for ShellExecute
4. Think all is said.

Zif.
Hi Zif,
Not talking to you, talking to ms99y.
Don't believe everything the helpfiles say...

/// John
erajoj,

my helpfile says, ShellExecuteEx DOES RUN with WinNT. Your helpfile must be an old version...    :-)

Madshi.
Avatar of ms99y

ASKER

Hi erajoj,

  In my help file it is saying that ShellExecuteEx does not run on NT. (But anyway I can make test..)

To Zif,
  I will try your code and Thanx.
Avatar of ms99y

ASKER

Hi erajoj,

  In my help file it is saying that ShellExecuteEx does not run on NT. (But anyway I can make test..)

To Zif,
  I will try your code and Thanx.
Avatar of ms99y

ASKER

Hi, Viktor instead of using WinExec it seems that using CreateProcess is more logical way.

Zif ,
thanks for your help, please send your comment as an answer

Later
procedure TForm1.Run (const Name: string);
var
      si   :TStartupInfo;
      pif  :TProcessInformation;
      ecp  :DWORD;
      Running:boolean;
      Path: Array [0..255] of char;
      ErrorCode: Integer;

begin
       FbWECreated := FALSE;
       SetCurrentDir (ExtractFilePath (name));

       ZeroMemory (@si, sizeof (TStartupInfo));
       si.cb := sizeof (TStartupInfo);
       si.lpTitle := StrAlloc (100);
       StrPCopy (si.lpTitle, 'Compiling the ' + eProject.Text + ' project...');
       si.dwFlags := STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
       si.wShowWindow := SW_MAXIMIZE;

       if CreateProcess (nil, PChar (Name), nil, nil, FALSE, NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS, nil, nil, si, pif) then
   begin
             RE.Lines.Add ('');
             RE.Lines.Add ('Executing compiler...');

     WaitForInputIdle (THandle (pif.hProcess), 10000);
     Running := TRUE;

      while Running do
      begin
        Application.ProcessMessages;
        GetExitCodeProcess (THandle (pif.hProcess), ecp);
        if ecp <> STILL_ACTIVE then
                              Running := false;

        Sleep (250);
                  end;

      if cbExecuteOutput.Checked then
      begin
        StrPCopy (path, eOutputFile.Text);
        ErrorCode := ShellExecute(Application.Handle, 'open', Path, '', '', SW_SHOW);
                  end;
                  LoadFile (TRUE);
             end
   else
end;

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ZifNab

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