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Looking for a way to run an application program from C++

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  2 years ago

  by nanay2007

  nanay2007

  , United Kingdom

  Joined 2 years ago

  Hello

  Let me start off by explanining my situation. I have a windows application file (with .application extension) which, when opened, runs like any regular window program, and it has a regular menu toolbar, etc. Generally speaking, this program is  a model simulator that interacts with external text files to receive input parameters in order to generate ouput text files.  A user has to edit these input files, and run the program manually. The program then generates results and saves them in text files. All I want is to have these output files, and save them in another folder for later use. The problem is that I have to run the program many times for different input parameters, an that is time consuming.

  My goal is to find a way to create a macro to perform repetive tasks with the simulator. Basically, I am trying to run the program several times for different simulation cases, and get on hold of the output files. Basically, I  want to automate this repetive  task.

  There are some downloadable programs that perform repetive tasks involving keyboard and mouse actions,  by creating some sort of a macro code. Please keep in mind that these are not those harmful keyloggers, virus-type spywares, but rather legitimate softwares with registered trademaks, created by legitimate companies. But I am trying to find out if I create something like those legitimate programs with C++, Visual Basic, or any other language program. I have heard about the ShellExecute function avalaible in C++, but I could not get much information about it, besides learning that it is used to run any executable program like Notepad@. I need to know how to use this function to manupate, if possible,  any program as I do so using the mouse and keyboard. This capability is the sort of thing that can be done with those downloadable programs that I just mentioned about. But I am interested in creating my own code that performs the same job,  using any programming language, particularly C++.

  Please let me know about any ideas or suggestions. Everyone is welcomed to reply to this post.

   

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  2 years ago

  by Mohammad Rastkar

  Mohammad Rastkar

  Shiraz, Iran

  Joined 3 years ago

  From :

  • MSDN 2005 (VC++ 2005)
  • MSDN 98    (VC++ 6)

   

  • MSDN 2005 :

  ShellExecute Function

  ---

  Performs an operation on a specified file.

  Syntax

  HINSTANCE ShellExecute(      
      HWND hwnd,
      LPCTSTR lpOperation,
      LPCTSTR lpFile,
      LPCTSTR lpParameters,
      LPCTSTR lpDirectory,
      INT nShowCmd
  );
  

  Parameters

  hwnd [in] Handle to the owner window used for displaying a user interface (UI) or error messages. This value can be NULL if the operation is not associated with a window. lpOperation [in] Pointer to a null-terminated string, referred to in this case as a verb, that specifies the action to be performed. The set of available verbs depends on the particular file or folder. Generally, the actions available from an object's shortcut menu are available verbs. For more information about verbs and their availability, see Object Verbs. See Extending Shortcut Menus for further discussion of shortcut menus. The following verbs are commonly used. edit Launches an editor and opens the document for editing. If lpFile is not a document file, the function will fail. explore Explores the folder specified by lpFile. find Initiates a search starting from the specified directory. open Opens the file specified by the lpFile parameter. The file can be an executable file, a document file, or a folder. print Prints the document file specified by lpFile. If lpFile is not a document file, the function will fail. NULL

  For systems prior to Microsoft Windows 2000, the default verb is used if it is valid and available in the registry. If not, the "open" verb is used.

  For Windows 2000 and later systems, the default verb is used if available. If not, the "open" verb is used. If neither verb is available, the system uses the first verb listed in the registry.

  lpFile [in] Pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies the file or object on which to execute the specified verb. To specify a Shell namespace object, pass the fully qualified parse name. Note that not all verbs are supported on all objects. For example, not all document types support the "print" verb. lpParameters [in] If the lpFile parameter specifies an executable file, lpParameters is a pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies the parameters to be passed to the application. The format of this string is determined by the verb that is to be invoked. If lpFile specifies a document file, lpParameters should be NULL. lpDirectory [in] Pointer to a null-terminated string that specifies the default directory. nShowCmd [in] Flags that specify how an application is to be displayed when it is opened. If lpFile specifies a document file, the flag is simply passed to the associated application. It is up to the application to decide how to handle it. 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.

  Return Value

  Returns a value greater than 32 if successful, or an error value that is less than or equal to 32 otherwise. The following table lists the error values. The return value is cast as an HINSTANCE for backward compatibility with 16-bit Windows applications. It is not a true HINSTANCE, however. The only thing that can be done with the returned HINSTANCE is to cast it to an int and compare it with the value 32 or one of the error codes below.

  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-Microsoft Win32 .exe or error in .exe image).
  SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED	The operating system denied access to the specified file.
  SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE	The file name association is incomplete or invalid.
  SE_ERR_DDEBUSY	The Dynamic Data Exchange (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	The specified dynamic-link library (DLL) was not found.
  SE_ERR_FNF	The specified file was not found.
  SE_ERR_NOASSOC	There is no application associated with the given file name extension. This error will also be returned if you attempt to print a file that is not printable.
  SE_ERR_OOM	There was not enough memory to complete the operation.
  SE_ERR_PNF	The specified path was not found.
  SE_ERR_SHARE	A sharing violation occurred.

  
  
  

  Remarks

  This method allows you to execute any commands in a folder's shortcut menu or stored in the registry.

  To open a folder, use either of the following calls:
  ShellExecute(handle, NULL, <fully_qualified_path_to_folder>, NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  or

  ShellExecute(handle, "open", <fully_qualified_path_to_folder>, NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  To explore a folder, use:

  ShellExecute(handle, "explore", <fully_qualified_path_to_folder>, NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  To launch the Shell's Find utility for a directory, use:

  ShellExecute(handle, "find", <fully_qualified_path_to_folder>, NULL, NULL, 0);

  If lpOperation is NULL, the function opens the file specified by lpFile. If lpOperation is "open" or "explore", the function attempts to open or explore the folder.

  To obtain information about the application that is launched as a result of calling ShellExecute, use ShellExecuteEx.

  Note  The Launch folder windows in a separate process setting in Folder Options affects ShellExecute. If that option is disabled (the default setting), ShellExecute uses an open Explorer window rather than launch a new one. If no Explorer window is open, ShellExecute launches a new one.

  Windows 95/98/Me: ShellExecute is supported by the Microsoft Layer for Unicode. To use this, you must add certain files to your application, as outlined in Microsoft Layer for Unicode on Windows 95/98/Me Systems.

  
  

  Function Information

  Minimum DLL Version	shell32.dll version 3.51 or later
  Custom Implementation	No
  Header	shellapi.h
  Import library	shell32.lib
  Minimum operating systems	Windows NT 3.1, Windows 95
  Unicode	Implemented as ANSI and Unicode versions.

   

  • MSDN 98 :

  ShellExecute

  HINSTANCE ShellExecute(
      HWND hwnd,
      LPCTSTR lpOperation,
      LPCTSTR lpFile,
      LPCTSTR lpParameters,
      LPCTSTR lpDirectory,
      INT nShowCmd
  );
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Opens or prints a specified file.

  • Returns a value greater than 32 if successful, or an error value that is less than or equal to 32 otherwise. The following table lists the error values. The return value is cast as an HINSTANCE for backward compatibility with 16-bit Windows applications.

    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	The operating system denied access to the specified file.
    SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE	The file name 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	The specified dynamic-link library was not found.
    SE_ERR_FNF	The specified file was not found.
    SE_ERR_NOASSOC	There is no application associated with the given file name extension.
    SE_ERR_OOM	There was not enough memory to complete the operation.
    SE_ERR_PNF	The specified path was not found.
    SE_ERR_SHARE	A sharing violation occurred.

  hwnd Window handle to 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 Address of a null-terminated string that specifies the operation to perform. The following operation strings are valid:

  "open"	The function opens the file specified by the lpFile parameter. The file can be an executable file or a document file. It can also be a folder.
  "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.
  "explore"	The function explores the folder specified by lpFile.

  This parameter can be NULL. In that case, the function opens the file specified by lpFile.

  lpFile Address of a null-terminated string that specifies the file to open or print or the folder to open or explore. The function can open an executable file or a document file. The function can print a document file. lpParameters If the lpFile parameter specifies an executable file, lpParameters is an address to a null-terminated string that specifies the parameters to be passed to the application. If lpFile specifies a document file, lpParameters should be NULL. lpDirectory Address of 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:

  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.

  You can use this function to open or explore a shell 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 attempt to open or explore the folder.

  To obtain information about the application that is launched as a result of calling ShellExecute, use ShellExecuteEx.

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• • Reply

  2 years ago

  by nanay2007

  nanay2007

  , United Kingdom

  Joined 2 years ago

  Hi Muhammed,

   

  Thank you for this copy-and-paste stuff you sent me. I already knew about it. Adviously, I need more information related to the problem that I  wrote about in my original post.

  Stephen

   

   

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  2 years ago

  by Mohammad Rastkar

  Mohammad Rastkar

  Shiraz, Iran

  Joined 3 years ago

  Hi Stephen ,

  I think for your question about running a program and ShellExecute function, My copy & paste stuff  is enough, but if you have a more specific question please ask it clearly and exactly say what you want!  

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  2 years ago

  by pcmattman

  pcmattman

  , Australia

  Joined 3 years ago
  So you want to run a program multiple times, and seperate the output files?
  
  Use ShellExecute in a for loop, and then copy the output data once execution finishes.
  
  
  
  
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