Open and operate an external application

[ChrisBettencourt]

Hello,

I'm a super fresh newbie to VB, and I'd really appreciate any help!

My current issue is that I'm trying to open an application using:
Dim ProcID As Integer
ProcID = Shell("""C:\FlowMaster 6.0\FlowCUT.exe""", AppWinStyle.NormalFocus)
AppActivate(ProcID)

I got this code from the help file. I've just put it in a button, and when I click it, I see the splash screen for the program, but then I get an error.


That is my problem in the short term. In the long term, my ultimate goal is to create an interface for this existing program named FlowCUT that would limit the options avaliable to the user. (So the user would only be able to view the CAD image, and begin the cutting procedure, but they could not modify any specs) My plan is to just have a small app that operates the program, but keeps it hidden somehow, and just has less buttons, etc, but is taking all info from FlowCUT. If there is a better way to do this, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks in advance.

[Dököll]

Hello,

I'm a super fresh newbie to VB, and I'd really appreciate any help!

My current issue is that I'm trying to open an application using:

 
        Dim ProcID As Integer
        ProcID = Shell("""C:\FlowMaster 6.0\FlowCUT.exe""",  AppWinStyle.NormalFocus)
        AppActivate(ProcID)
 
 

I got this code from the help file. I've just put it in a button, and when I click it, I see the splash screen for the program, but then I get an error.

Thanks in advance.

What is the error you are getting, ChrisBettencourt!

[ChrisBettencourt]

Whoops! I guess that would be helpful to expalin.

It shows the splash screen, and then just says that FlowCUT has encountered a problem and needs to close. When I click on the More Information link, it tells me:
AppName:flowcut.exe AppVer:6.0.2.0 ModName: kernel32.dll
ModVer: 5.1.2600.2180 Offset: 0000979d

When I click on the Technical Information link, I get all sorts of stuff.
Exception Information
Code: 0xc0000005 Flags: 0x00000000
Record: 0x0000000000000000 Address: 0x000000007c80979d

followed by pages and pages of similar stuff.
At the bottom half of the window, it says

The following files will be included in this error report:
C:\DOCUME~1\CBETTE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\1254_appcompat. txt

(This file does not seem to exist when I look for it.)
So I tried using a different method:


'Start the FlowCUT application
Dim MyPSI As New ProcessStartInfo("C:\FlowMaster 6.0\FlowCUT.exe")
MyPSI.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Normal
MyPSI.WorkingDirectory = "C:\FlowMaster 6.0\"
Dim MyProcess As Process = Process.Start(MyPSI)
'look to see if the application is responding/open
Dim resp As Boolean
resp = MyProcess.Responding()
Do While resp = False
resp = MyProcess.Responding()
Loop
'if it is open, send the CTRL O command to choose a file
My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("^o")

and it opens the application just fine, but the .SendKeys() function does not work. There is no error message, it just fails to do anything.

also, when I change MyPSI.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Normal to MyPSI.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden or MyPSI.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Minimized, there is no change. That applies to the first code I was using as well. No matter what I do, all applications open as being 'Normal'.

so I guess my two main problems right now are getting SendKeys() to work, and getting the window to be hidden somehow at some point.

[Killer42]

It might be worth testing what happens if you create a shortcut to the FlowCUT program, and set the shortcut properties to start minimised. If this doesn't work, then I doubt your program will have much success doing it either.

Of course, your two goal are to some extent mutually exclusive. To receive the sent keys it will need to have the focus, so minimising it may (or may not) preclude this. I suppose the window state (normal, minimised etc) isn't really critical, as long as it has the focus.

It would make things a heck of a lot easier if FlowCUT provides some sort of automation interface. Then you could bypass its user interface entirely and just drive it from your code.

Does FlowCUT provide any other sort of automation options, such as taking commands from an input file? If so, you might be able to take advantage of that.

Oh, and one other thing - what version of VB are you using?