Let FM know when a Windows program ends...

[schubidb]

Hello,

I have to call a windows programs called "wget.exe" from within filemaker. The program ends by saving its result in a little file that I import in a field in FM. In principle, no problem.

However, in order to let wget do its job, i have included a "pause script for 1 sec" command, so that wget has time and FM imports correctly. I realise now that the speed of wget is different from PC to PC (some running Win98, some Win2000, some are slower, some are faster) which makes the "pause script" command set to a constant time senseless.

Now the questions:

* To be independent of the speed/systems of the various computers I would like to let filemaker check whether or not the called program has finished already, and then continue the script. Does anyone know a way?

* Or: do programs under windows sent "end messages" to the system that can be queried by FM; if yes, how?

* Or: How can FM ask the system whether or not a program is still running?

Thank you in advance!!

Daniel

FMPro 5.0 latest update, Win2000Pro latest update

[LiveOak]

How about having the program send an event (after it has completed) to FM to run a script in FM. I'm not as familiar with the machanics on the Win side, but this is how we handle this on the Mac side with faxing program, etc.

-bd

[SteveB]

I have the same problem as I am using WinBatch to perform a number of functions which I communicate through the use of a temporary file. The only thing that I've come up with is to put your script statement that reads the file (I'm using the Troi file plugin to do this) into a loop and allow ten 1 second pauses. After every pause I test to see what's been returned: the information or an error code. It's not great, but it does work.

[schubidb]

That is a good workaround.

Thanks a lot!

Daniel