Process.Start() is blocking

[jrm]

..Net v1.1

I am trying to launch a MS Word merge document. It is linked to an Access mdb that has a parameterized query that pops up an input dialog when you open it. None of this should matter of course, but I think maybe it is causing the problem..?

I am doing this:
System.Diagnost ics.Process merge_doc = new System.Diagnost ics.Process();
merge_doc.Start Info.FileName = "c:\adoc.do c";
merge_doc.Start ();

The start call is blocking until I close the popup input form... ?! Even stranger is that a message loop is still running somewhere because my main application continues to run. The menu handler in which I start the process does in fact block though. Eventually control returns once I close that Access popup, like I said. I thought Start() was not supposed to block? Workarounds?

thx

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[rossum]

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:57:16 -0800, jrm wrote:

>.Net v1.1

I am trying to launch a MS Word merge document. It is linked
to an Access mdb that has a parameterized query that pops up
an input dialog when you open it. None of this should matter of
course, but I think maybe it is causing the problem..?

I am doing this:
System.Diagnos tics.Process merge_doc = new System.Diagnost ics.Process();
merge_doc.Star tInfo.FileName = "c:\adoc.do c";
merge_doc.Star t();

You have "\a" in your filename string, which is the ASCII BEL
character - it sounds a beep. You need to use one of the standard
alternatives:

@"c:\adoc.do c"
"c:/adoc.doc" - Windows understands unix-style paths
"c:\\adoc.d oc"

I suspect that it is blocking because it is looking for a file called:
"c:%doc.doc ", where % is the BEL character. It is not finding the
file and hanging. You should also look at how you are checking for
errors if not finding the target file causes a hang; maybe check that
the file exists before trying to open it.

rossum

>The start call is blocking until I close the popup input form... ?!
Even stranger is that a message loop is still running somewhere
because my main application continues to run. The menu handler in
which I start the process does in fact block though. Eventually
control returns once I close that Access popup, like I said. I thought
Start() was not supposed to block? Workarounds?

thx

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Posted via DotNetSlackers. com

[jrm]

No, im sorry. That was a typo. I didnt copy the code verbatim... Yes do I have double slashes \\ in the pathname string.

I just tried to pinvoke ShellExecute() and it has the exact same behavior. Not only does it block, but it runs a message loop while doing so. Totally weirdo.

I found a workaround though. I can put the 'start adoc.doc' command in a .bat file, or pinvoke CreateProcess something like CreateProcess(. ."WINWORD.EX E", "open adoc.doc"...). These do not block.
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