Background:

The application I am working on needs to get some data from a portable barcode reader, so I have to run another program - in modal mode - from within the OpenInsight application to collect the data and place it in a file, then the OpenInsight application processes the contents of that file. I use the "ReturnValue=Utility('RUNWIN',cmd,-1)" code to run the external program (where cmd contains the command line call of the application to be launched)

The Hickup:

The external application runs OK, the only problem is that when the external application is called, and just before it is displayed, the OpenInsight window loses focus and system focus changes briefly to the previous window used (let's call it WindowX), then, when the upload is completed and the external program is terminated, focus is set to WindowX and the OpenInsight window does not regain focus unless the mouse is moved. As soon as the mouse is moved, the OpenInsight application regains focus and processing resumes OK.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can avoid letting the OpenInsight application lose focus?

Michele-

Have you tried setting the 'FOCUS' property of 'SYSTEM' to your OI application just after the Utility command? That may work.

Hope it helps-

Mike Ruane

WinWin Solutions Inc.

Mike,

Thanks for your response, I have tried using Set_Property FOCUS just after the RUNWIN command, I also tried sending it through the RUNWIN callback function to no avail. I have to physically return control to the OI application for the processing to proceed.

Michèle,

Can you post the code you are using to run the application? What application are you running? Is it a 16-bit or 32-bit app?

Cameron Purdy

Revelation Software

Could you set the focus through a timer event or use block events?

When the upload is happening, is the engine processing or idle?

[email protected]

Sprezzatura Ltd

Cameron,

The communication application is a 32-bit application written in Visual basic version 5.

The following is the code I am using to run the communication application:

Declare Function Utility, Message_Box, RowExists, Start_MDIChild

Declare Subroutine Msg, Send_Info

Open 'DATABASE_SETTINGS' to DSFile Else

	ErrVal=Message_Box(@Window,'Unable to open the Database table!','Table Access Error',16)

	Return 0

End

MDIFrame=Get_Property(@Window, 'MDIFRAME')

DBCtrl=MDIFrame:'.DISPLAYED_AREA'

DBId=Get_Property(DBCtrl,'TEXT')

Read DSRec from DSFile, DBId Else DSRec='

If DSRec  '' Then

	CommDir=DSRec

	CommApp=CommDirlen(CommDir),'B\'

	CommDir=CommDir1,len(CommDir)-len(CommApp)

	n=len(CommDir)

	If CommDirn,1=\" then CommDir=CommDir1,n-1

	StoreFile=CommDir:'\Storage\allocate.txt'

• cmd=CommDir:'\COMTOOL.EXE /U /F=:StoreFile

	cmd=CommDir:"\":CommApp:' /U /F=:StoreFile

	If DSRec  '' Then cmd=cmd:' /c=:DSRec

	HWnd=Get_Property(@Window,'TEXT')

	cmd=cmd:' /x=:hwnd

	ReturnValue=Utility('RUNWIN',cmd,-1)

• Process uploaded data

	retval=Utility('CURSOR','H')

…..

from here onwards, the code processes the uploaded data. It continues automatically after the focus is reset to the OI application.

Note that the" cmd=cmd:'/x=hwnd" line was added to get the VB application to return focus to the OI application when it is finished, but that would only work if I launch it modelessly (which isn't the case).

Aoron,

As long as the communications application is running, OEngine has the following status "Engine Status:PROCESSING", which is normal since I am running the communication application in a modeless mode.

I guess I could use BLOCK_EVENTS if I can't get the modeless mode to run properly, the problem I'm having is that I can't tell when the communication application finishes. I tried to use EXITCODE, from what I read in the help file it is supposed to return the exit code of the last application launched, which I presumed should be this one, but the EXITCODE=Get_Property('SYSTEM', "EXITCODE") is returning either 0 or -1 straight away. Is there another way of knowing if another application is open in Windows?

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