>>>Another way - take ShellExecute route. I would recommend to take a look into Ed Rauh class and program.
>>
>>After I wrote this program and take a close look, I noticed two slight problems with this code.
>>1) Check for type(tcCommandLine) should be at the top of routine, because why we need to declare all these functions, if we return 0?
>>2) Each call of this function declares these functions again and again. May be it's nothing, but may be at 100th call we would have a memory blown. I vaguely recall Cetin Basoz asked a question, how can we check, if function is already Declared, but I don't remember the answers, he got...
>
>Just create an additional property on the object called lLoadedDlls.
>
>Create a method called LoadDlls and place all your DECLARES in that method and the last thing in the method would be lLoadedDLLs = .T.
>
>Only call LoadDlls function when lLoadedDLLs is .f. to prevent repitiously declaring the functions.
>
>Personally, when I need to use this function, I create the object, execute the method and then destroy the object...so there's never any repititous calls made to this function.
>
>HTH
>
>Jon

Good point, John. Actually, I use this program as it is, I don't use class for this (I believe Ed has one, but I prefer just simple prg). So, I assume, the calling program should probably have this variable... Therefore in shutdown routine I have to have CLEAR DLLS (need to check).
>
>>
>>Anyway, these are two potential problems with this code.
>>
>>>
>>>

>>>********************************************************************
>>>*  Description.......: LaunchAppAndWait
>>>*  Calling Samples...: 
>>>*  Parameter List....: 
>>>*  Created by........: Ed Rauh  
>>>*  Modified by.......: 
>>>********************************************************************
>>>FUNCTION LaunchAppAndWait
>>>LPARAMETERS tcCommandLine, tuFromDir, tcWindowMode
>>>
>>>*     tcCommandLine               (R) - command line to launch
>>>*     tuFromDir                    (O) - Run from directory (default - CWD)
>>>*     tcWindowMode               (O)     - Start Application Window mode, one of (HIDE, MIN, MAX, NOR)
>>>*                                          (default - default setting of application)
>>>
>>>*     Returns:
>>>*     0 = CreateProcess didn't start what was asked
>>>*     1 = Process ran to completion
>>>*     -1= Process started but user aborted wait.  Danger - app is still running AFAIK
>>>
>>>#DEFINE cnINFINITE           0xFFFFFFFF
>>>#DEFINE cnHalfASecond     500     && milliseconds
>>>#DEFINE cnTimedOut          0x0102
>>>
>>>*     We need some API calls, declare here
>>>
>
>Remove These to the LoadDlls method:
>
>>>*     GetCurrentProcess() returns the pseudohandle of the current process
>>>DECLARE INTEGER GetCurrentProcess IN WIN32API AS GetCurrProc
>>>
>>>*     WaitForIdleInput() waits until the target process is idle for input
>>>DECLARE INTEGER WaitForInputIdle IN WIN32API AS WaitInpIdle ;
>>>     INTEGER nProcessHandle, ;
>>>     INTEGER nWaitForDuration
>>>
>>>*     WaitForSingleObject() waits until the handle in parm 1 is signalled 
>>>*     or the timeout period expires
>>>DECLARE INTEGER WaitForSingleObject IN WIN32API AS WaitOnAppExit ;
>>>     INTEGER hProcessHandle, ;
>>>     INTEGER dwTimeOut
>>>
>>>*     This API call does the work.  The parameters are as follows:
>>>*          lpszModuleName - ptr-> file name of module to execute.  Since we aren't launching .CPLs, do not use
>>>*          lpszCommandLine - ptr-> command to execute, as passed to us
>>>*          lpSecurityAttributesProcess - ptr-> SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES structure for Process.  Pass a null pointer
>>>*          lpSecurityAttributesThread - ptr-> SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES structure for first thread.  Pass a null pointer
>>>*          bInheritHandles - whether or not chlid inherits parent handles.  Since no SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES passed, default to FALSE
>>>*          dwCreateFlags - Process Creation Mode flag set.  We use the default mode at normal priority, ie 0
>>>*          lpvEnvironment     - ptr-> a set of environment strings as if a MULTI_SZ.  We don't set, so pass a null pointer
>>>*          lpszStartupDir - ptr-> the starting directory.  If none provided to us, pass a null pointer
>>>*          lpStartInfo - ptr-> a STARTUPINFO structure.  We use one structure member at times.
>>>*          lpProcessInfo - ptr-> a PROCESS_INFORMATION structure, used to return PID/PHANDLE detail.  
>>>*                              We use one member on return
>>>DECLARE SHORT CreateProcess IN WIN32API AS CrPr ;
>>>     STRING lpszModuleName, ;
>>>     STRING @lpszCommandLine, ;
>>>     STRING lpSecurityAttributesProcess, ;
>>>     STRING lpSecurityAttributesThread, ;
>>>     SHORT bInheritHandles, ;
>>>     INTEGER dwCreateFlags, ;
>>>     STRING lpvEnvironment, ;
>>>     STRING lpszStartupDir, ;
>>>     STRING @lpStartInfo, ;
>>>     STRING @lpProcessInfo
>>>
>>>IF TYPE('tcCommandLine') # 'C'
>>>
>>>     *     Command line must be a character string
>>>     RETURN 0
>>>
>>>ENDIF
>>>IF TYPE('tuFromDir') # 'C'
>>>
>>>     *     If not a character string, pass a null pointer, defaulting to Current Working Dir
>
>IF ! THIS.lLoadedDLLs
>  THIS.LoadDlls()
>ENDIF

 If it's not broken, fix it until it is.


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