OK, I had expected you to use the ShellExecuteEx. This passes back a window handle which you can test for with the API IsWindow.

Here is the VFP code which uses a similar method. It is a hack of Ed's stuff, so any credits should go to him.

Just pass in the app that you want to launch, a boolean if you want to wait, and the mode of the window you would like.

Mace

*****************************************************************************
*!* PROCEDURE LaunchApp
*****************************************************************************
PROCEDURE LaunchApp
LPARAMETERS tcCommandLine, tlAndWait, tcWindowMode
LOCAL lnStatus
LOCAL lcProcessInfo, lcStartUpInfo, lnProcessHandle

*-- Make default Structures for the CreateProcess call

*-- ProcessInfo - 4 bytes, a Process handle, a Thread Handle, a (DWORD) ProcessId and a (DWORD) ThreadID
lcProcessInfo = REPL(CHR(0),16)

*-- StartUpInfo is a 68 byte long complex structure; we either have 68 bytes with a cb member (byte 1) 68
*-- or with cb of 68, dwFlag low order byte (byte 45) of 1, and low order byte wShowWindow (byte 49) set to
*-- the SW_ value appropriate for the Window Mode desired.
DO CASE
CASE EMPTY( tcWindowMode)
*-- Use default of application
lcStartUpInfo = CHR(68) + REPL(CHR(0),67)
CASE tcWindowMode = 'HID'
*-- Hide - use STARTF_USESHOWFLAG and value of 0
lcStartUpInfo = CHR(68) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),43) + ;
CHR(1) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),23)
CASE tcWindowMode = 'NOR'
*-- Normal - use STARTF_USESHOWFLAG and value of 1
lcStartUpInfo = CHR(68) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),43) + ;
CHR(1) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),3) + ;
CHR(1) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),19)
CASE tcWindowMode = 'MIN'
*-- Minimize - use STARTF_USESHOWFLAG and value of 2
lcStartUpInfo = CHR(68) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),43) + ;
CHR(1) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),3) + ;
CHR(2) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),19)
CASE tcWindowMode = 'MAX'
*-- Maximize - use STARTF_USESHOWFLAG and value of 3
lcStartUpInfo = CHR(68) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),43) + ;
CHR(1) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),3) + ;
CHR(3) + ;
REPL(CHR(0),19)
OTHERWISE
*-- Use default of application
lcStartUpInfo = CHR(68) + REPL(CHR(0),67)
ENDCASE

* 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 in method
* 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 method, 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
DECLARE SHORT CreateProcess IN WIN32API ;
STRING lpszModuleName, ;
STRING @lpszCommandLine, ;
STRING lpSecurityAttributesProcess, ;
STRING lpSecurityAttributesThread, ;
SHORT bInheritHandles, ;
INTEGER dwCreateFlags, ;
STRING lpvEnvironment, ;
STRING lpszStartupDir, ;
STRING @lpStartInfo, ;
STRING @lpProcessInfo

lnStatus = CreateProcess( 0, ;
tcCommandLine, ;
0, 0, 0, 0, 0, ;
NULL, ;
@lcStartUpInfo, ;
@lcProcessInfo)

CLEAR DLLS

IF lnStatus <> 1
*-- really we should have a new dll/winapi error!!!
RETURN _ValidError
ENDIF

IF tlAndWait

lnProcessHandle = ConvertWordToInt( LEFT( lcProcessInfo, 4))

*-- Stop here until the other process has gone.
*-- Declare a func.. param1 the process to wait for, param 2 idle time in milli seconds
DECLARE INTEGER WaitForSingleObject IN WIN32API INTEGER, INTEGER

DO WHILE WaitForSingleObject( lnProcessHandle, 500) = 258 && WAIT_TIMEOUT

ENDDO

CLEAR DLLS

ENDIF

RETURN 0

*****************************************************************************
FUNCTION ConvertWordToInt
*-- Supports Doubles and Single words based on the length
LPARAMETERS tcWord
LOCAL lcLowWord, lcHighWord, lnLowWord, lnHighWord

lcLowWord = SUBSTR( tcWord, 1, 2)
lcHighWord = SUBSTR( tcWord, 3, 2)

lnLowWord = ASC( LEFT( lcLowWord, 1)) + ASC( RIGHT( lcLowWord, 1)) * 256

lnHighWord = 0
IF !EMPTY( lcHighWord)
lnHighWord = ( ASC( LEFT( lcHighWord, 1)) + ASC( RIGHT( lcHighWord, 1)) * 256) * 256 * 256
ENDIF

RETURN lnLowWord + lnHighWord


>Hi Macer
>
>I tried getting hold of the window handle once the window is open.. here is the code, it's in visual basic, but you should be able to read it.....
>
>the code opens the bat file, and then calls the function to check is the window is still open.
>
>The problem occurs when I call the function loopUntilWindowIsClosed
>
>the check seems to be too fast, and hence this function thinks the window is not open, as the function is called before the window is completely open.
>
>Any ideas on this would be great
>
>
>Regards
>Steven
>
>
>
>
>Function processBr1Files(lcFileToProcess)
>
>lnReturnValue = ShellExecute(0, "open", "c:\br1loader\load_br1.bat", "data\" & lcFileToProcess & " U Y Y", "c:\br1loader\", 1)
>
>
>
> If lnReturnValue <= 32 Then
> 'There was an error
> Select Case r
> Case SE_ERR_FNF
> msg = "File not found"
> Case SE_ERR_PNF
> msg = "Path not found"
> Case SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED
> msg = "Access denied"
> Case SE_ERR_OOM
> msg = "Out of memory"
> Case SE_ERR_DLLNOTFOUND
> msg = "DLL not found"
> Case SE_ERR_SHARE
> msg = "A sharing violation occurred"
> Case SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE
> msg = "Incomplete or invalid file association"
> Case SE_ERR_DDETIMEOUT
> msg = "DDE Time out"
> Case SE_ERR_DDEFAIL
> msg = "DDE transaction failed"
> Case SE_ERR_DDEBUSY
> msg = "DDE busy"
> Case SE_ERR_NOASSOC
> msg = "No association for file extension"
> Case ERROR_BAD_FORMAT
> msg = "Invalid EXE file or error in EXE image"
> Case Else
> msg = "Unknown error"
> End Select
> lnAnswer = MsgBox(msg, 48, "File run error")
> End If
>
> Call loopUntilWindowIsClosed
> MsgBox ("Staring next")
>
>End Function
>
>
>Function loopUntilWindowIsClosed()
>
>
>
>Do While FindWindow("ConsoleWindowClass", 0&) <> 0
>
>
>Loop
>End Function