Hey everybody, I have a feeling there''s a simple answer behind this, but I need to know: How I can call an executable from another executable? Here''s my situation: I have a launcher program that sets the resolution of the screen and then displays a loading screen. I need it to call a program, and it needs to know when the program is shut down so that it can reset the resolution and exit. Any ideas?? Thanks! - Jeff myrik@hotmail.com

Well I think the program should do the resolution switching for a number of reasons. 1.) If using DX or OpenGL or most API, you set the resolution when you create the object and set it back when you destroy it... so that''d be the better or at least "more proffesional" way of doing it... also what happens if the second program doesn''t exit properly? Or the first one is shutdown before the second one? Maybe when the system crashes cause they are running 20 things at a time they''ll close the first one first?

Anyhow you get the idea, in terms of launching the app and then waiting for it to close. I use "ShellExecute"

Here''s a rather large excerpt for you:
The ShellExecute function opens or prints a specified file. The file can be an executable file or a document file. See ShellExecuteEx also.

HINSTANCE ShellExecute(

HWND hwnd, // handle to parent window
LPCTSTR lpOperation, // pointer to string that specifies operation to perform
LPCTSTR lpFile, // pointer to filename string
LPTSTR lpParameters, // pointer to string that specifies executable-file parameters
LPCTSTR lpDirectory, // pointer to string that specifies default directory
INT nShowCmd // whether file is shown when opened
);
Parameters

hwnd

Specifies a parent window. This window receives any message boxes that an application produces. For example, an application may report an error by producing a message box.

lpOperation

Pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies the operation to perform. The following operation strings are valid:

String Meaning
"open" The function opens the file specified by lpFile. The file can be an executable file or a document file.
"print" The function prints the file specified by lpFile. The file should be a document file. If the file is an executable file, the function opens the file, as if "open" had been specified.
The lpOperation parameter can be NULL. In that case, the function opens the file specified by lpFile.

lpFile

Pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies the file to open or print. The function can open an executable file or a document file. The function can print a document file.

lpParameters

If lpFile specifies an executable file, lpParameters is a pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies parameters to be passed to the application.
If lpFile specifies a document file, lpParameters should be NULL.

lpDirectory

Pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies the default directory.

nShowCmd

If lpFile specifies an executable file, nShowCmd specifies how the application is to be shown when it is opened. This parameter can be one of the following values:

Value Meaning
SW_HIDE Hides the window and activates another window.
SW_MAXIMIZE Maximizes the specified window.
SW_MINIMIZE Minimizes the specified window and activates the next top-level window in the Z order.
SW_RESTORE Activates and displays the window. If the window is minimized or maximized, Windows restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when restoring a minimized window.
SW_SHOW Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position.
SW_SHOWDEFAULT Sets the show state based on the SW_ flag specified in the STARTUPINFO structure passed to the CreateProcess function by the program that started the application. An application should call ShowWindow with this flag to set the initial show state of its main window.
SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED Activates the window and displays it as a maximized window.
SW_SHOWMINIMIZED Activates the window and displays it as a minimized window.
SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE Displays the window as a minimized window. The active window remains active.
SW_SHOWNA Displays the window in its current state. The active window remains active.
SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE Displays a window in its most recent size and position. The active window remains active.
SW_SHOWNORMAL Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized or maximized, Windows restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when displaying the window for the first time.
If lpFile specifies a document file, nShowCmd should be zero.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is the instance handle of the application that was run, or the handle of a dynamic data exchange (DDE) server application.
If the function fails, the return value is an error value that is less than or equal to 32. The following table lists these error values:

Value Meaning
0 The operating system is out of memory or resources.
ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND The specified file was not found.
ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND The specified path was not found.
ERROR_BAD_FORMAT The .EXE file is invalid (non-Win32 .EXE or error in .EXE image).
SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED Windows 95 only: The operating system denied access to the specified file.
SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE The filename association is incomplete or invalid.
SE_ERR_DDEBUSY The DDE transaction could not be completed because other DDE transactions were being processed.
SE_ERR_DDEFAIL The DDE transaction failed.
SE_ERR_DDETIMEOUT The DDE transaction could not be completed because the request timed out.
SE_ERR_DLLNOTFOUND Windows 95 only: The specified dynamic-link library was not found.
SE_ERR_FNF Windows 95 only: The specified file was not found.
SE_ERR_NOASSOC There is no application associated with the given filename extension.
SE_ERR_OOM Windows 95 only: There was not enough memory to complete the operation.
SE_ERR_PNF Windows 95 only: The specified path was not found.
SE_ERR_SHARE A sharing violation occurred.
Remarks

The file specified by the lpFile parameter can be a document file or an executable file. If the file is a document file, the ShellExecute function opens or prints it, depending on the value of the lpOperation parameter. If the file is an executable file, the ShellExecute function opens it, even if lpOperation specifies printing.
Windows 95: You can use ShellExecute to open or explore a Windows 95 folder. To open a folder, use either of the following calls:

ShellExecute(handle, NULL, "path_to_folder", NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

or

ShellExecute(handle, "open", "path_to_folder", NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

To explore a folder, use the following call:

ShellExecute(handle, "explore", "path_to_folder", NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

If lpOperation is NULL, the function opens the file specified by lpFile. If lpOperation is "open" or "explore", the function will force a open window or explorer.

Use the Returned handle to monitor it''s status, then when it''s destroyed. Do whatever you want.
See ya,
Ben

Thank you very much for the quick (and detailed) reply! That sounds like it''ll do exactly what I''m looking for.

Thanks again,
Jeff