Run a windows application from FoxPro

_{Thursday, November 13, 2008 10:33 PM}

I know that you can run a DOS command program with the RUN command but, can you (call, shell, or run) an application that runs in windows from FoxPro? It's just a small program with a .exe but it was installed into windows.

Thanks

_{Friday, November 14, 2008 6:48 AM ✅Answered}

You can try this.

FullCommand = "yourexe.exe " +"argument" 
oWinshl = createobject ("Wscript.shell")
shl_res = oWinshl.Run(FullCommand, 1, .t.)

Ensure scripting host is installed.

_{Friday, November 14, 2008 11:12 AM ✅Answered}

ShellExecute doesn't display error but return error codes. If it succeeds return code is > 32.

...\.exe is the executable and fpic is the parameter ( and there might also be a "Working-Start In Folder" parameter)

Code Snippet

fpic= Getfile('JPG')

lcExecutable = "c:\myillistrated\GRAPHICS\cards\Master\PhotoResize246x345.exe"

declare long ShellExecute in "shell32.dll" ;
 long hwnd, string lpszOp, ;
 string lpszFile, string lpszParams, ;
    string lpszDir, long nShowCmd

fpic =  TextMerge( '"<< m.fpic >>"') && Adding double quotes

lcExecutable = TextMerge('"<< m.lcExecutable >>"')

ShellExecute(0,"",m.lcExecutable, m.fpic,0,1)

Here is another sample:

Code Snippet

ShellExecute(0,'','c:\fpd26\foxprox.exe','mytest.prg','c:\fpd26',0)

Calling FoxProX.exe with myTest.prg as input parameter and working folder is c:\Fpd26. Run it but do not show a window (last parameter 0-window style Do not show). It would be equivalant to doing this in a DOS prompt (except last do not show):

c:

cd\fpd26

foxprox "mytest.prg"

Or invloking a shortcut where:

Target: c:\fpd26\foxprox.exe myStart.prg

Start in: c:\fpd26

If the exe or parameter has spaces in path then needs to be surrounded by doublequotes. Better surround if has spaces or not.

_{Saturday, November 15, 2008 11:03 AM ✅Answered}

Now that is your fault You didn't specify the version before and you know what, I was afraid that the version you are using might be older than VFP7 but thought oh no not at his time

TextMerge() is a built in function from VFP7 and up. It is an inline version of what textmerge does. Anyway actually I was lazy and used it to add doublequotes to exe and picture filenames instead of using string concat. You can fix like this:

Code Snippet

fpic = '"' + m.fpic + '"'

lcExecutable = '"' + m.lcExecutable + '"'

_{Thursday, November 13, 2008 10:42 PM}

Process.Start("iexplore.exe")

A.D.T.

_{Thursday, November 13, 2008 11:03 PM}

Process.Start("iexplore.exe") Generates an object "PROCESS not found error

_{Thursday, November 13, 2008 11:19 PM}

Process.Start() has nothing to do with VFP.  To use .Net classes you need extra stuff.

Code Snippet

run /n yourwindows.exe

Or you can use the ShellExecute winAPI call. ie:

Code Snippet

declare long ShellExecute in "shell32.dll" ;
 long hwnd, string lpszOp, ;
 string lpszFile, string lpszParams, ;
    string lpszDir, long nShowCmd

* Open the file

* wiindows determines the exe to open with

ShellExecute(0,'Open','c:\my folder\myDocument.doc',0,0,1)

ShellExecute(0,'','c:\My Folder\MyWindowsApp.exe',0,0,1)

_{Friday, November 14, 2008 1:48 AM}

Thanks for your input. 

run /n yourwindows.exe works great  Thanks sooo much!

I also need to run an application that has a file attached to it. This file is gotten with a GETFILE() and saved in a variable called fpic. I tried the following code but it didn't work.

fpic= Getfile('JPG')

declare long ShellExecute in "shell32.dll" ;
 long hwnd, string lpszOp, ;
 string lpszFile, string lpszParams, ;
    string lpszDir, long nShowCmd

fpic1 = "c:\myillistrated\GRAPHICS\cards\Master\PhotoResize246x345.exe " + fpic
ShellExecute(0,'',fpic1,0,0,1)

I didn't get an error but the program (PhotoResize246x345.exe) didn't produce any output

_{Friday, November 14, 2008 5:21 PM}

I am really amazed as to how patient everyone is in reguards to my questions. Thanks for your professional attitude.

Because I must use a Getfile() which returns a string variable, it just does not want to work. I am not quit sure what TextMerge( '"<< m.fpic >>"') does but it causes an error "TextMerge.prg Does Not Exist"

If I use  run c:\myillistrated\GRAPHICS\cards\Master\PhotoResize246x345.exe filename.jpg

it works just fine. However, filename.jpg should be obtained from the getfile() command because it is never the same file or even the same filepath.

I am running FoxPro 6.0 Professional Edition. I don't know if I am maybe missing the textmerge feature.

Thanks once again.