Is it possible to start another application from OI? For example, would it be possible to create an OI procedure that starts programs such as WinZip, pkzip, etc?

If so, is there documentation available that describes this process?

I'm trying to write a backup utility so that users can backup data as often as they like. It would be nice to compress the data at the same time and save the end user the hassle.

Thanks,

Greg

Utility 'RUNWIN'…. will execute any windows app. Add this to command.com switches and things and you can run various DOS apps.

akaplan@sprezzatura.com

Sprezzatura, Inc.

Greg,

My app has a backup utility made with RUNWIN and PKZIP. The PKZIP command zips all files in the user data folder to one or more floppy disks. We have had the following problems:

(1) We don't know how to check programmatically for errors. So we have to tell our users to check the DOS window for PKZIP error messages.

(2) Sometimes with earlier versions of the utility not all files were backed up. We assume the reason was some tables were locked, but we don't really know how it happened. Anyway - in later versions we do it properly with (a) checking if other users are logged on and (b) unlocking all files before PKZIP is run.

- Oystein -

Thanks Oystein,

I think we will have to do something similar. I appreciate the advice.

Greg

Greg,

Just an idea - about being sure the files really were backed up. After doing the backup the app could list the contents of the zip file to a text file with pkzip -v a:\data.zip ] contents.txt, and then inspect the text file. And if you didn't want to bother the user with having to close another MS-DOS window you could use Command.com with a /C switch: command.com /C pkzip …etc…. It might get messy when the backup spans more than one floppy, though.

I'll shut up now.

- Oystein -

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