How to call a function as a seperate process

[rajeshwaran]

I am developing a GUI program, to process a file, this file processing will happen in a while loop, for the user to stop or pause the file processing, I want to call a seperate GUI window function __X__() with "Stop" & "Pause" buttons.

How to call a seperate GUI window function __X__() as a new process ?

Help me..

Edited September 2, 2010 by rajeshwaran

[PsaltyDS]

If you really want a separate process then you'll have to Run() it.

The single AutoIt process can have as many GUIs simultaneously as you want. Popping a second, or third, GUI is not a problem. You want to get familiar with either GuiOnEventMode, or the advanced option of GuiGetMsg() so you can sort out events from multiple GUIs.

[rajeshwaran]

Actually I want to create one more task (thread/process ... whatever)

In AutoIt one or more GUI windows with single while(1) loop (single process) is possible, I want to create (run)one more while(1) loop and process something else not GUI.

Is it possible in AutoIt ?

[rajeshwaran]

Actually I want to create one more task (thread/process ... whatever)

In AutoIt one or more GUI windows with single while(1) loop (single process) is possible, I want to create (run)one more while(1) loop and process something else not GUI.

Is it possible in AutoIt ?

[Tvern]

Not in the way you want it, but it should be possible to get the behavior you want while using a single while loop. (Unless you're trying to get increased performance for a cpu heavy program)

If you want to post your code and intended behavior I could try to demonstrate how it could work.

[EdWilson]

I'm wanting to do the same thing. In my case I've written most of a startup manager that launches the programs in an orderly process, but want the user to be able to choose the last program(s) to load. I have written a separate GUI for the user input that I want to marry with the startup process, as well as add in a countdown timer. So, I have a need for simultaneous:

A ) a sequence of Run, WinWaitActive, and sleep commands (last is a 19 second sleep)

B ) a gui that is asking for user input while the other programs are loading

C ) a countdown timer (for...next) during the last 19 second wait

Can all of these somehow be run in the same script? If I have to have 2 or 3 simultaneous scripts going, how do I communicate between them?

Thanks in advance.

Ed

[rajeshwaran]

Hi Tvern,

Currently I dont have any sample script.

However my requirement is very simple, all basic languages supports multithreading in windows, I am surprising, AutoIt has lot of features, without multithread concept.

If you know, any alternative way please give example to us.

[ChrisL]

If you really need a second process call your own script with a command line option, the below code had a gui which displayed a marquee, it was launched as a separate process because fileinstall used to stop it running until it had completed

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <ProgressConstants.au3>
#include <SendMessage.au3>

If $CMDLINE[0] > 0 and $CMDLINE[1] = "Wait" then _PleaseWait()


$iPid = Run('"' & @ScriptFullPath & '" Wait',@scriptDir)
FileInstall("MATRIX-XP_engl_L.avi","C:\MATRIX-XP_engl_L.avi",1)
ProcessClose($iPid)


;Msgbox(0,"","")




Func _PleaseWait()

    GuiCreate("",400,200,-1,-1,-1, BitOr($WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW,$WS_EX_TOPMOST))
    GUICtrlCreateLabel("Please Wait...",60,60,200)
    GuICtrlSetFont(-1,18)
    $progress = GUICtrlCreateProgress(60, 120, 300, 20, $PBS_MARQUEE); marquee works on Win XP and above
    $hProgress = GUICtrlGetHandle($progress)
    _SendMessage($hProgress, $PBM_SETMARQUEE, True, 50); marquee works on Win XP and above

    GuiSetState()

    While 1
        Sleep(100)

    WEnd

EndFunc

[rajeshwaran]

Hi ChrisL,

The script is not working for me, may be the files *.avi are not there in my C drive, leave it.

The below code confusing me

$iPid = Run('"' & @ScriptFullPath & '" Wait',@scriptDir)

Can you explain in detail.

[ChrisL]

Hi ChrisL,

The script is not working for me, may be the files *.avi are not there in my C drive, leave it.

The below code confusing me

$iPid = Run('"' & @ScriptFullPath & '" Wait',@scriptDir)

Can you explain in detail.

The file install was just an example.

All this does $iPid = Run('"' & @ScriptFullPath & '" Wait',@scriptDir) is calls the main script (itself) with a command line option and the command line option is set to go to a specific function that can do whatever you want it too.

[Tvern]

The trick is not to use functions that only return once a window is active, but instead just check if that window is active multiple times. Instead of a long sleep you can use multiple short sleeps and a timer.

I made an example based on what EdWilson described.

expandcollapse popup

#include <array.au3>
Local $aPrograms[3] = ["C:\somefolder\SomeProgram1.exe","C:\somefolder\SomeProgram2.exe","C:\somefolder\SomeProgram3.exe"] ;a list of programs to run. Could be loaded from an ini or whatever you like.
Local $iIndex = 0 ;keeps track of the index of the process to Run()

Local $bLoadNext = True ;Imidiately start running the first process on the list
Local $bCountdown = False ;Don't start the countdown yet

Local $hTimer, $iTimeLeft, $iOldTimeLeft ;some variables used by the timer
Local $PID, $hWnd
GUICreate("User Input",200,110) ;A gui for user input.
Local $CtrlButton = GUICtrlCreateButton("add to runlist",10,10) ;a button to add programs to the run list
Local $CtrlLabel = GUICtrlCreateLabel("",10,40,180,30)  ;a label to display the countdown
GUISetState()

While 1
;This is the main loop. It combines:
;1. Running the programs
;2. Checking if the program has loaded (WinExists atleast)
;3. Starting the countdown
;4. Updating the countdown
;5. Checking for user input
    If $iIndex < UBound($aPrograms) Then ;there are more programs to run in the array
    If $bLoadNext Then
    $PID = Run($aPrograms[$iIndex]) ;load a new program
    $bLoadNext = False ;block the next program from loading for now
    Else
    $hWnd = _GetHwndFromPID($PID)
    If $hWnd And WinExists($hWnd) Then ;the last program is loaded.
    ;The window exists, you can make sure it's active here.
    $bLoadNext = True ;allow the next program to load
    $iIndex += 1
    EndIf
    EndIf
    Else ;the last program was reached
    If $bCountdown Then ;update the countdown if active
    $iTimeLeft = Round((19000 - TimerDiff($hTimer))/1000,0)
    If $iTimeLeft < 0 Then
                Exit
            ElseIf $iTimeLeft <> $iOldTimeLeft Then
    GUICtrlSetData($CtrlLabel,"Closing in " & $iTimeLeft & " seconds.")
    $iOldTimeLeft = $iTimeLeft
    EndIf
    Else ;start the countdown if it hasn't started yet
    $bCountdown = True
    $hTimer = TimerInit()
    EndIf
    EndIf

    Switch GUIGetMsg() ;check for user input
    Case -3
    Exit
    Case $CtrlButton
    _ArrayAdd($aPrograms,FileOpenDialog("Choose an executable",@ScriptDir,"Executables (*.exe)"))
;~  $bCountdown = False ;uncomment this line if you want the countdown to go back to 19 seconds after a newly added program is loaded.
    EndSwitch
WEnd

; I found this function on the forum. Don't know the author, but thanks!
Func _GetHwndFromPID($PID)
    Local $hWnd = 0
    Local $stPID = DllStructCreate("int")
    Local $winlist2 = WinList()
    For $i = 1 To $winlist2[0][0]
    If $winlist2[$i][0] <> "" Then
    DllCall("user32.dll", "int", "GetWindowThreadProcessId", "hwnd", $winlist2[$i][1], "ptr", DllStructGetPtr($stPID))
    If DllStructGetData($stPID, 1) = $PID Then
    $hWnd = $winlist2[$i][1]
    ExitLoop
    EndIf
    EndIf
    Next
    Return $hWnd
EndFunc

Edit: Had some undeclared vars.

Edited September 6, 2010 by Tvern

[rajeshwaran]

A descent approach is here

Auot If Forum link

Porcess & Threads UDF download link

Edited September 6, 2010 by rajeshwaran