Limit mutiple starts of application

[pencak]

I just finished an application and it seems to run without glitches. However, this morning I had a user running it and it was having problems. Upon inspection, he had started 19 instances of the program. I asked him what he did and didn't get a straight answer. I have a feature where the application can spawn an internet explorer window with a google map on it (not the new V9 embedded web feature but starting I.E. as a separate app) where there's an opportunity to switch between windows. My conclusion is that the user minimizes windows and double clicks the shortcut on his desktop for the A5 application again, instead of simply clicking on the open program tab. I couldn't reproduce the error within the application so I'm assuming this is the problem.

This application is installed on a network (with the runtime on each workstation.) How do I limit the startup of the runtime to ONE instance on a particular workstation?

Thanks,
Larry

[Steve Workings]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

Replace the user?

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

Have the autoexec check the value of a text file in the app folder. If it is "0", open the app and write "1" to the text file, if it is "1", give the user a warning message and close the app. When the db closes, write "0" to the text.

You might want to give the user an option on the initial load to load anyway even if there is a "1", in the event that the app had previously crashed and inadvertently left a residual "1".

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

On second thought, I like Steve's idea better!

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

I think you could arrange for your autoexec script to build a list of all open windows on the user's system; then check the list for multiple entries for Alpha Five and shut the current instance down if multiple are found. Here's the function I think could be used to do this:

SYS_ID_ENUM()

Syntax

Window_List as C = SYS_ID_ENUM()

Description

SYS_ID_ENUM() creates a CR-LF delimited character string that lists the windows currently available on your system.

Supported By

Alpha Five Version 5 and Above

Limitations

Desktop applications only.

[John Lemisch]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

I just finished an application and it seems to run without glitches. However, this morning I had a user running it and it was having problems. Upon inspection, he had started 19 instances of the program. I asked him what he did and didn't get a straight answer. I have a feature where the application can spawn an internet explorer window with a google map on it (not the new V9 embedded web feature but starting I.E. as a separate app) where there's an opportunity to switch between windows. My conclusion is that the user minimizes windows and double clicks the shortcut on his desktop for the A5 application again, instead of simply clicking on the open program tab. I couldn't reproduce the error within the application so I'm assuming this is the problem.

This application is installed on a network (with the runtime on each workstation.) How do I limit the startup of the runtime to ONE instance on a particular workstation?

Thanks,
Larry

put this in the autoexec code (at the beginning)
id_list=upper(Sys_id_enum())
recs=occurs(crlf(),id_list)+1
dim progs[recs] as c
dim opens as n
dim win_name as c
win_name=a5.window_title
opens=0
progs.initialize(id_list)
for i=1 to recs
if *any(alltrim(upper(progs[i])),alltrim(upper(win_name)))
opens=opens + 1
end if
next
if opens > 1
ui_msg_box("Error"," The Program Is Already Open but Minimized!" + crlf(2)\
+ "This Second Copy of the Application Will Now Abort ",16)
'the spaces above are for appearance
'note that sys_focus_put is removed - otherwise
'it closes the already open window - now it closes this the 2nd attempt window
a5.close()
end
end if
'end chk session code

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

John, that's the sort of thing I was imagining. Thanks.

Do you suppose you could beef up the script with some comments, and then add it to the Code Archive for others to more easily find and use?

thanks again.

-- tom

[John Lemisch]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

John, that's the sort of thing I was imagining. Thanks.

Do you suppose you could beef up the script with some comments, and then add it to the Code Archive for others to more easily find and use?

thanks again.

-- tom

Tom, thanks for the compliment, however, the code is not mine. I got it quite a while ago and I forget who the original author is (sorry). We use this by creating a function and adding the 'chksession()' function to the autoexec. It makes it easier to comment it out with the full version. I will search for the original author and try to notify him/her to post it in the code archive (I'll check because I might have gotten it there).

[John Lemisch]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

John, that's the sort of thing I was imagining. Thanks.

Do you suppose you could beef up the script with some comments, and then add it to the Code Archive for others to more easily find and use?

thanks again.

-- tom

Tom:
I wasn't able to find out where I got it, but it was back in 2003. It could have been from Selwyn, Peter, Martin, or anyone else who knows their sh#@. I apologize to the author for not knowing who you are. I am posting it on the code archive for others to see and use.

[Ed Barley]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

This is back a few years and versions.

http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/al...ad.php?t=39165

Regards

Ed

[Bob Arbuthnot]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

John,

Thanks for the code! I wrapped it in a function as you've done, put it at the beginning of my autoexec and it appears to work great.

Bob Arbuthnot

[pencak]

Re: Limit mutiple starts of application

Thanks John,
Looking for other stuff I stumbled across your post on the Code Archive at:
http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/al...ad.php?t=75126

Thanks!