sys_shell question

[Bob Houle]

Hi,
In the 'On Activate' script in my main form, I've used sys_shell("Regist.exe, 1")

I've created a small EXE that checks the user's hard drive for registration information. If the person has not registered before, a pop-up message box appears stating the registration problem.

While my EXE waits for this messagebox to be answered, A5V4 continues on it's way as if nothing happened. The messagebox is hidden behind the Alpha program.


How do I make sys_shell 'MODAL', that is stop prcessing instructions until my program has ended?

I've tried to capture with: sys_focus_put and sys_id_get

While I don't have a problem getting the information, it's not helping.

--Bob

[Stan Mathews]

RE: sys_shell question

From an earlier posting:

Red,

If you search the message board for "dos batch file" you will find a number of posts on running other programs using sys_shell(). As Tom points out, a script containing sys_shell() continues to run after the external program is called. You need some way to "pause" the script until the external program is complete. About a month ago, I posted a method that works with dos batch files that copies a dummy file to a specified location as the last line of a batch file. The script loops until the dummy file exists. Don't know if that will help in your situation, but it may give you some ideas.

Jerry

[Bob Houle]

RE: sys_shell question

Stan,
Normally in the Windows programming environment, when shelling to another program is quite normal.

The sys_shell function "should" give me the choice of whether I want to run this EXE in MODAL or MODELESS mode, but it doesn't appear to.

I suppose this is probably on the 'wish list', if not it should be.

The EXE was designed to interupt the flow only IF the user hasn't registered...I guess the messagebox IS the pause.

I'll take a look again through the "dos batch file" searches.

Thanks again,
--Bob

[Bill Warner]

An alternative to sys_shell?

Bob,

This won't answer your question, but might be another way you can accomplish what you want.

I have a registration script that checks for the existance of a file that I hide in C:WINDOWSSYSTEM (I got the idea from another user, but have misplaced his name). Then the script reads part of the file to check for valid info:

on error goto error_handler

file_pointer = file.open("c:abcde.dll", FILE_RW_SHARED)
data=file_pointer.read(10)
file_pointer.close()

error_handler:

ui_msg_box("INVALID VERSION", "This is not a valid program")


This reads the first 10 characters of the file ABCDE.DLL. I then compare the results to what should be there for a legitimate version.

If the file doesn't exist, error_handler pops up the INVALID VERSION message.

[Bob Houle]

RE: An alternative to sys_shell?

Bill,
Yes, I'm using file_pointer.seek and .read to do something similar, but these are easily read by the human eye.

As far as hiding the location, all the user has to do is run the program, then go to the WindowsRecent folder and see the most recently used files.

The exe file that I'm using overwrites the A5 user information every time it operates, so the user can change the data, but it doesn't do them any good. And an exe file is harder to hack, for the average user.

So I haven't given up on sys_shell just yet.

--Bob