>>>>>
>>>>>It's all a bit more involved. First, do you want to open the file with 12 (exclusive)? If so, I would not be able to analyze it, etc.?
>>>>>
>>>>>And it will require more changes - so becomes more complex to do a re-write.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Not necessarily more complex
>>>>
>>>>You could have a function WriteLogLine() which in the current scenario would perform one strtofile()
>>>>That is already better
>>>>
>>>>As to the read access to the log file from another program, there must be a way using CreateFile() API http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa363858(VS.85).aspx
>>>>
>>>>Where
>>>>- dwDesiredAccess is GenericWrite
>>>>- dwShareMode is FILE_SHARE_READ
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>And - for looking at the log file : tail - f comes to mind - I found a Windows version - not tested - http://tailforwin32.sourceforge.net/
>>>
>>>I'm still not getting it. Well, I found CreateFile example
>>>http://www.news2news.com/vfp/?example=10
>>>
>>>so, using that how do I add lines to the end of the file?
>>
>>
>>WriteFile() Api - I guess http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365747(v=VS.85).aspx
>>
>>You do not close the file, you just keep writing to it
>>
>>
>>>
>>>Also, what if I want to delete the log file in the process of my dll running - I assume I would not be able to?
>>
>>
>>You could, in a way, with PostMessage() from another process
>>
>>The logger would just need to bindevent() on a message queue
>>
>>
>>(1) you use RegisterWindowMessage() http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms644947(VS.85).aspx to create a separate message queue
>>(2) You logger listens to that message queue with bindevent
>>
>>(3) if you want the log cleared, you send a message (PostMessage()) to that separate queue. You do not have to know the hwnd of the logger - you can broadcast the message so that every one listening on the separate message queue receives the message - in this case ther will be only one process listening
>>
>>http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms644944%28v=VS.85%29.aspx
>>
>>
>>(4) The logger receives the message - closes and recreates the file
>>
>>You have to program for the event that the logger is writing to the log file at the time the message comes in
>>
>>
>>
>>A nice challenge for the weekend ...
>
>All of this sounds needlessly complex and I don't see an immediate gain going this route.


Perhaps - it's this or StrToFile(, append)