Can two similar java applications can share a varible?

Hello Friends,

I am working on windows platform. I have a java application running. when i start one more instance of the same application, my second application should pass some information to the first application and exit. This is my problem and i have some questions about this:

1. How can you know that there is one more instance runing?

2 Can two java applications, share a variable?

Thanks in advance

Ramachandra Rao yerneni
rcyerneni@hotmail.com