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Feb 13th, 2009

program that starts another program.

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Is there a simple way to run another program, say IE, FF or just a simple .bat file sith c++? ive searched around a bit but all ive found is rocket science and didn't seem to be what im looking for. i dont wish to run it "trough" my program, just as if i had found the destination and doubleclick'ed it.

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Bladtman242

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Feb 13th, 2009

Re: program that starts another program.

in windows can you use ShellExecute, which is an API call that will allow you to spawn an application.

Comatose

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Feb 13th, 2009

Re: program that starts another program.

Thanks for the quick answer

Is shellexecute a astandard function? like shellexecute(); or?

EDIT: perhaps i misunderstood, does ShellExecute have anything to do with the c++ language?

Last edited by Bladtman242; Feb 13th, 2009 at 12:33 pm.

Bladtman242

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Feb 13th, 2009

Re: program that starts another program.

well, it's included in the windows.h, so try this:

C++ Syntax (Toggle Plain Text)
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
     ShellExecute(NULL, "open", "C:\\windows\\system32\\calc.exe","", "C:\\", SW_NORMAL);
     return 0;
}
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
     ShellExecute(NULL, "open", "C:\\windows\\system32\\calc.exe","", "C:\\", SW_NORMAL);
     return 0;
}

EDIT: Negative. ShellExecute is NOT C++.... ShellExecute is a windows function that can be called from any language with the ability to use windows API's (C++ is such a language). This is windows specific, and won't work in *nix or Mac.... and is not a standard.

Last edited by Comatose; Feb 13th, 2009 at 12:39 pm.

Comatose

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Re: program that starts another program.

Ahh thanks

Now i tryed to look up the parameters (not that i couldn't find them, i just didn't understand ;-) )
Could you please explain the parameters you are using? just briefly, i hope its not too much trouble

Last edited by Bladtman242; Feb 13th, 2009 at 1:00 pm.

Bladtman242

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Feb 13th, 2009

Re: program that starts another program.

The first parameter, hWnd (passed NULL) is the window to associate the new process with (NULL means you aren't using this feature).

The second, lpOperation, is what you want to do with the file specified in the next parameter. Here we are "open"ing it.

Speaking of which, the third is lpFile: the file you want to perform the operation on.

The fourth, lpParameters is a string of the arguments you want to pass into the new process. These are not used in this situation.

Next is lpDirectory. This is the path you want the new process to think it was started from.

Finally, we have nShowCommand: this just specifies the starting state of the window for the new process. SW_NORMAL specifies that, what do ya know, it should start in normal mode!

You can look at specifics including other possible arguments at msdn's documentation for this function.

Last edited by death_oclock; Feb 13th, 2009 at 10:34 pm.

death_oclock

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Feb 14th, 2009

Re: program that starts another program.

Or use.. execlp(...)

cikara21

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Feb 14th, 2009

Re: program that starts another program.

Click to Expand / Collapse Quote originally posted by cikara21 ...

Or use.. execlp(...)

Which I believe is *nix only.....

Comatose

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Re: program that starts another program.

Thank you death_oclock, that was really helpfull

Cikara21, could you wxplain that?

Okay, Comatose: i tried it out, made a simple .bat called test.bat located on C:\, containing

C++ Syntax (Toggle Plain Text)

msg * Hi %username% u rule

(rediculus i know)
and then a c++ "program":

c++ Syntax (Toggle Plain Text)
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
 
using namespace std;
 
int main()
{
    ShellExecute(NULL, "open", "C:\\test.bat","", "C:\\", SW_NORMAL);
    return 0;
}
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    ShellExecute(NULL, "open", "C:\\test.bat","", "C:\\", SW_NORMAL);
    return 0;
}

Why does that not work? :/

Bladtman242

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Feb 14th, 2009

Re: program that starts another program.

Click to Expand / Collapse Quote originally posted by Bladtman242 ...

Cikara21, could you wxplain that?

Quote originally posted by Comatose ...

Which I believe is *nix only.....

^^ Okay. beaten by seconds by Comatose

So, does anyone know what i am doing wrong here?

Last edited by Bladtman242; Feb 14th, 2009 at 8:39 am.

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