Printable View
Is it possible to launch an executable in code using something like CreateProcess, but to make my program wait and not continue until the launched program has closed and returned a value?
I need to launch another .exe and get it's return value when it closes without having to create a client/server type setup.
Cheers.
Try shellexecute or shellexecuteex, you should get a return value.
Thanks, but as far as I can tell ShellExecute returns right away and doesn't return the value returned by my launched program's main function.
I need my program to wait until the launched program stops running.
Is there a way to do this?
under Unix, there is the system() call that does what you want. I don't know right know if there is a similar call under Windows.
Here's a wrapper function that should be able to do what you want:
Code:BOOL ExecuteAndWaitForCompletion ( LPCTSTR pszCmd)
{
STARTUPINFO si;
PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;
ZeroMemory ( &si, sizeof ( STARTUPINFO));
si.cb = sizeof ( STARTUPINFO);
si.dwFlags = STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
si.wShowWindow = SW_HIDE;
bRes = CreateProcess ( NULL,
pszCmd
NULL,
NULL,
TRUE,
NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS,
GetEnvironmentStrings (),
NULL,
&si,
&pi
);
WaitForSingleObject ( pi.hProcess, INFINITE);
CloseHandle( pi.hProcess);
CloseHandle( pi.hThread);
return ( bRes);
}
Well...the first question would be....what operating system are you using? In case of Windows...take a look at the following FAQs:
To get the exit code of the process....you can use 'GetExitCodeProcess()'...
FYI:Quote:
Originally Posted by Andreas Masur
It's strange that the above list of methods seems to exclude the most obvious.
It's excluding the system() function, which is the only C/C++ method defined in the C/C++ standard.
Although _exec and _spawn are in the C run-time library for the VC++ compiler, these two functions are not part of the C/C++ standard. IMHO, the FAQ might lead a newbie to believe that it is part of the C/C++ standard.
I recommend updating the above FAQ to add the system() function, and to clarify that _exec and _spawn are not part of the C/C++ standard.
Besides that this does not belong in this thread...you should have looked at the location of the FAQ. The FAQ is for Windows and not C or C++, thus, there is nothing misleading...nevertheless....since it is only 5 seconds of change...I will add the 'system()' function...Quote:
Originally Posted by Axter
I'm not referring to it being misleading because of what thread it's in. If that was the case, I would have mention the other functions listed there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andreas Masur
I stated it's misleading, because there's a comment next _exec&_spawn stating "C run-time library".
This information is correct, but to a newbie, it could mislead he/she into believing it's part of the C/C++ standard.
That's why I mentioned it as a clarification, and not as a correction.
FYI: system is a function that works in Windows too....:cool:
I was referring to this thread...changing the content of the FAQ does have nothing to do with the question asked in this thread in the first place.Quote:
Originally Posted by Axter
Yes...however, every function starting with '_' or '__' usually isn't part of the standard anyway... :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Axter
Nevertheless, I have added some comment to these, thus, everybody should be satisfied by now...
This is great thanks, exactly what I need. *I still need the return value from the launched .exe's main function, but I can look into how to do that possibly from here, even if I have to add some client/server code.Quote:
Originally Posted by Axter
Cheers.
Edit: *I see this was already explained by Andreas - GetExitCodeProcess(). Thank you too, Andreas.