launch external app - wait for it to complete

Hello
I need to launch an external application which accepts user data and then creates a text file.
My AutoLISP routine then reads that file and inserts a block with attributes read from the file.
I can launch it using startapp but the problem is that the Lisp routine carries on excuting without waiting for the external app to close.
ie - it is not pausing at the startapp line. It launches tha external application and then jumps staright to the rest of the code - trying to read the file and insert the block before the user has entered the data via the external app.
Is there a way to make the code pause at or just after the startapp entry until the external application is closed down.
thanks for any help..

 

DOSLIB at www.mcneel.com , dos_exewait does job.

Regards,
Seva Minkovich,
Etecad ltd.
, www.etecad.com

carries on excuting without waiting for the external app to close.

application and then jumps staright to the rest of the code - trying to read
the file and insert the block before the user has entered the data via the
external app.

until the external application is closed down.

 

I use a VB program to do the same type of operation.
Basically, in Lisp, I wait for a 'done.dat' file to be present.
(E.g)
Delete old done.dat file if found.
Run the App
While (not (findfile "done.dat"))
); wait for file to be there
;

 

Make dll with VB, then lounch it with command:


(setq Test (vlax-create-object "Somedll.clsClassinDll"))
(setq answer (vlax-invoke-method Test 'SomeMethod))

thats all.

 

The problem is not launching the App, but waiting (in Lisp), for the App to complete..the App fires up, but the Lisp doesn't wait for the App to complete.

Bob

 

Sorry,
Missed your intent here, that will work also.
Bob

 

If you have modified your Acad.pgp file to provide access to that external
app, you can simply modify its options, e.g.:

EDITTPAD, start /w c:\progra~1\textpa~1\TextPad, 10,File to edit: ,

and then

(defun C:Test (/ fileN)
(setq fileN (getstring "\nFile to edit: "))
(command "._EditTPad" fileN)
(alert "I'm all done editing.")
(princ))

--
R. Robert Bell


Hello
I need to launch an external application which accepts user data and then
creates a text file.
My AutoLISP routine then reads that file and inserts a block with attributes
read from the file.
I can launch it using startapp but the problem is that the Lisp routine
carries on excuting without waiting for the external app to close.
ie - it is not pausing at the startapp line. It launches tha external
application and then jumps staright to the rest of the code - trying to read
the file and insert the block before the user has entered the data via the
external app.
Is there a way to make the code pause at or just after the startapp entry
until the external application is closed down.
thanks for any help..

 

thank you to everyone that responded.
I used the DOSLIB arx and that worked perfectly.
thanks again.