Function to launch an external application in CVI

[JuanL]

Hi All,

I am getting started in Labwindows and what I am doing os trying to find a function in CVI to launch an external application (not .exe, .bat...). For example the encripted file to run a macro (ej. macro.ncx) in aspecific directory.

Thank's a lot for your help.

[RobertoBozzolo]

To launch en external application you can use basically two methods: system () and LaunchExecutable () (or LaunchExecutableEx) functions. The first one waits for the launched program to terminate before returning control to your application, while the second returns immediately.

The problem can be the program launched: both commands accept only standard exe, com bat or pif programs, so to launch your specific file you'll have to find an alternative solution. One possible way is to launch the program that can execute the script passing it as a parameter (if possible) the same way as you will open for example a document with notepad:

LaunchExecutable ("notepad.exe c:\\mydocument.txt");

[40tude]

One thing can help
See below :

GetProjectDir(PrjDir);
sprintf(HelpFile, "%s%s", PrjDir, "\\Help\\index.html");
Err = ShellExecute(NULL, "open", HelpFile, NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

Here I wanted to launch Explorer (or the default web browser) in order to display an help file contained in one html file.
In this case I find usefull to use the Windows SDK ShellExecute function call.
You can do the same if you want your application play one mp3 file using the player. The player which will be used is the one that show up when you double click on one mp3 file name. Simply replace the html file path with the path to the mp3 file.

[JuanL]

Thank's guys for your help.

The file I want to run is an executable but it is not an exe file. I have tried to run first the application and then open the executable file but it doesn`t work. I will follow triyng.

Cheers

[dilution]

Did you try
int OpenDocumentInDefaultViewer (const char documentFilename[], int windowDisplay);

Regards,

[JuanL]

We have found a possible solution as follows:


LaunchExecutable ("explorer.exe c:\\mydocument\......file to open");

Thank's a lot