Running other apps from my code

[goblindude3]

Hey there, I have a question maybe you guys can help with:

Couple quick things:
1. I am using windows XP.
2. I am using Dev C++ 4.

I want to make a "Desktop Manager" sort of thing. I am using switch statements to choose between different options, like, "What do you want to work on today? 1. School work. 2. Personal work.." etc.

So I wrote a couple of C++ programs that can help with my math homework etc. But another option I want on there is to run another program that's not C++. Say I wan't to continue typing a story I am writing in Microsoft Works or something, I want to be able to choose an option to type my story, then have it open up my story through microsoft works.

So, I think I saw something else on these forums about that, but when I tried those things they never worked. I tried using the system functions though I've heard those aren't the best. Then I heard that I couldn't open my story straight off the bat because it's not an executible program as in WksWP.exe (which should open, but doesn't work.)

So I want to know how I can open my story straight off, or even just the Word Proccessor. Here is what I've been messing around with. It runs the C++ program, but then a pop up says, "cannot find WksWP.exe..."

#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
 
int main()
{
 
      system("start WksWP.exe");
 
      system("PAUSE");
      return 0;
}
 

So all in all, I just want to know if this is even possible to make work. Or if there is another #include file that will do it or something.

Thanks for reading through this, any help will be appreciated!

[sicarie]

The system() command should work, though I noticed that first, I don't believe you need 'start' in it, and second, you may need to use the absolute pathname ( "C:\Program Files\Works\WskWP.exe" for example) to the executable. Just running WksWP.exe will look in your local directory and in your path. If it's in your path, then just remove 'start' and it should work. If you do need to use the absolute path, you should also backwhack the slashes (put them twice), so "C:\\Program Files\\your location\\your exe" because the \ is considered an escape character, and needs to be put in twice to be recognized as a single slash.