ExeRun (Function)

ONLINE HELP
WINDEV, WEBDEV AND WINDEV MOBILE

Version:

Home | Sign in | English

This content has been translated automatically. Click here to view the French version.

Using a command line
Using the exeActive constant
Return value of a WINDEV executable
Starting an application in Windows Vista (and later)
Various

WINDEV

WEBDEV

WINDEV Mobile

Others

See also

ExeRun (Function)

In french: LanceAppli

Starts the execution of a program (an executable for example) from the current application.

This allows you to retrieve:

the return value of executable with the exeReturnValue constant.
the process identifier, also called PID with the exePID constant.

Remarks:

From Windows Vista, the applications may fail to start if the UAC mechanism is enabled. For more details, see remarks.
In 64-bit Windows, the access to a system directory from a 32-bit executable can be performed in a directory that differs from the expected one. For more details, see the Native 64-bit and native 32-bit help page.

Example

// Lancement du bloc-notes avec le mode par défaut
ExeRun("NOTEPAD.EXE Lisezmoi.txt")

// Lancement d'un programme avec un nom long comprenant des espaces
// Par exemple: Word avec "Mes documents" pour répertoire de travail

// Solution 1: Utilisation de la syntaxe spécifique des chaînes multilignes
// (évite de doubler ou tripler les guillemets)
IF ExeRun([
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE"
], ...
exeActive, exeDontWait, SysDir(srMyDocuments)) = False THEN
Error(ErrorInfo())
END

// Solution 2: Doublement des guillemets
ExeRun("""C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE""", ...
exeActive, exeDontWait, SysDir(srMyDocuments))

// Lancement d'applications avec un fichier en ligne de commande
// Nom de l'application à lancer
sNomAppli is string = "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop 6.0\Photoshp.exe"
// Nom de l'image à ouvrir
sNomImage is string = "C:\Users\Mon Nom\Pictures\Photos Immeubles\IMGP0993.JPG"

// Lancement équivalent à "Démarrer Exécuter"
// Il faut obtenir une chaîne de caractères contenant des "" du type:
// "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop 6.0\Photoshp.exe"
// "C:\Users\Mon Nom\Pictures\Photos Immeubles\IMGP0993.JPG"
IF ExeRun(StringBuild([
"%1" "%2"
], sNomAppli, sNomImage)) = False THEN
Error(ErrorInfo())
END

Syntax

Running an executable (in locking or non-locking mode) Hide the details

<Result> = ExeRun(<Program name> [, <Mode> [, <Wait for end> [, <Working directory>]]])

<Result>: Boolean

True if the program was started,
False otherwise. ErrorInfo returns more details about the error.

<Program name>: Character string

Name of program to start with its path and/or the parameters that must be passed to the program (if necessary).
If no path is specified, the program is sought in the current directory, then in the Windows directory and in the directories accessible by PATH.
If the executable corresponds to a long name with space characters, the following syntax must be used:
<Program name> = " " " Long_name_with_spaces" " Command_line"

<Mode>: Optional integer constant

Program launch mode (no action on DOS programs).
exeActive
(Default value) The program run is active, it "takes control" over the current program.
exeIconize The program run is inactive and it is minimized.
This constant is not available.
exeInactive The program run is inactive: it is run while the current program keeps focus.
This constant is not available.
exeMaximize The program run is active, it "takes control" over the current program (the execution window is maximized).
This constant is not available.
The program run is always active: it is run by "taking control" over the current program.

<Wait for end>: Optional Boolean constant

Configures the time-out before resuming the execution of the current program:
exeWait The current program resumes its execution when the program run is over.
exeDontWait
(Default value) The current program and the program run are run in parallel.

<Working directory>: Optional character string

Working directory of application to start.

Starting a program and retrieving a value Hide the details

<Result> = ExeRun(<Program name> [, <Mode> [, <Element to return> [, <Working directory>]]])

<Result>: entier

Sought value:
Return value of the executable if <Element to return> corresponds to the exeReturnValue constant.
PID of the executable if <Element to return> corresponds to the exePID constant.
ErrorInfo is used to find out whether an error occurred.

<Program name>: Character string

Name of program to start with its path and/or the parameters that must be passed to the program (if necessary).
If no path is specified, the program is sought in the current directory, then in the Windows directory and in the directories accessible by PATH.
If the executable corresponds to a long name with space characters, the following syntax must be used:
<Program name> = " " " Long_name_with_spaces" " Command_line"

<Mode>: Optional integer constant

Program launch mode (no action on DOS programs).
exeActive
(Default value) The program run is active, it "takes control" over the current program
exeIconize The program run is inactive and it is minimized
exeInactive The program run is inactive: it is run while the current program keeps focus
exeMaximize The program run is active, it "takes control" over the current program (the execution window is maximized)
This parameter is ignored. The program run is active, it "takes control" over the current program.

<Element to return>: Optional constant

Configures the function result:
exeReturnValue The current program resumes its execution when the program run is over. <Result> corresponds to the return value of executable.
exePID The current program and the program run are run in parallel. <Result> corresponds to the identifier of created process (also called PID) if the executable was successfully run, 0 if an error occurred.
This identifier can be used in some APIs for example.
This constant is not available.

<Working directory>: Optional character string

Working directory of application to start.

Remarks

Using a command line

To pass parameters in command line to the executable run, you must specify the name and full path of the executable to run.

If the program run was developed with WINDEV, OrderLine allows you to retrieve the command line.

Using the exeActive constant

If the process where the application is run (with the exeActive constant) runs a code allowing the calling program to regain focus, the called program loses control.

In order for the called program to keep focus, you must not:

call another window or dialog box after the call to ExeRun,
call ReturnToCapture after ExeRun.

In addition, the Button control (if there is one) whose associated "Click" event contains a call to ExeRun must not be "Tab Stop" ("Accessible by TAB" in the "UI" tab of the control description).

Return value of a WINDEV executable

A WINDEV executable can return a value. All you have to do is:

Create an Integer variable global to the project.
Initialize this variable with the value to return.
Return this variable with the keyword RESULT in the project closing code.

Starting an application in Windows Vista (and later)

If the UAC is enabled, the application that is using ExeRun to start another application must have higher rights than the application that is started.

For example, a first application started with the administrator rights can start a second application that requires no specific rights.

If the second application requires greater rights than the application that starts it, the second application may fail to start. Windows proposes to enable the management of compatibility with Windows Vista. If the management of compatibility is enabled, the second application will be run during its next startup. You can also use ShellExecute.

Various

ExeRun does not modify the current directory. The current directory before running ExeRun is identical to the current directory after running ExeRun.
If the program run ignores the specified runtime mode, the program is run in exeActive mode.

Component: wd260std.dll