Managing Several exe files

[Juvigy]

Hi Guys,

I have a Outlook rule that runs exe file created with Autoit. The problem is that if the exe is already running and a new instance is started , the new instance should wait for the first one to finish. How can i accomplish that ?

While _Singleton("s111.exe",1) = 0
    Msgbox(0,"Warning","An occurence of S111.exe is already running",10)
WEnd

This one works for 2 exe files , but if there are more it stucks as the loop condition is always true. Also the exe files ideally should be proceeded in the order they have been started. Any easy way to do this ?

[czardas]

You might get some ideas from looking at my >win-1252 extended ascii keyboard. It will only display properly if your codepage is win-1252. In any case, try running it twice and see what happens. Particularly look at the function _IsRunning(). Look in the help file for WinWaitClose, WinExists etc...

[guinness]

What's _IsRunning()?

[czardas]

What's _IsRunning()?

 

It's a function in my script guinness - what else?

[Juvigy]

I checked it - i cant use Win functions as my program doestn have any window. I am not sure how to use processlist here too as i will have a list of lets say 5 instances but wont know for which instance i need to wait to finish before i continue the execution of the current instance. Or am i missing something here?

[guinness]

It's a function in my script guinness - what else?

My bad. I thought the link was to MSDN by just the title and didn't check. Sorry.

[czardas]

I checked it - i cant use Win functions as my program doestn have any window. I am not sure how to use processlist here too as i will have a list of lets say 5 instances but wont know for which instance i need to wait to finish before i continue the execution of the current instance. Or am i missing something here?

 

Run some tests. Instances should be in the order you run the programs (so I believe). Try it and check the process list with _ArrayDisplay(). See if you can interact with each instance of your executables.

I thought the link was to MSDN by just the title and didn't check. Sorry.

 

I only mentioned it because it's a simple demonstration, which I hoped might give Juvigy some ideas to play around with.

Edited October 21, 2013 by czardas

[Juvigy]

it doesnt look pretty but this is so far

$list = ProcessList("111.exe")
If $list[0][0] > 0 Then
$stoperPID = $list[2][UBound($list,2)-1]
ConsoleWrite($stoperPID&@CRLF)
While _ArraySearch($list,$stoperPID, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1) <> -1
If $list[0][0] < 2 Then ExitLoop
Sleep(3000)
$list = ProcessList("111.exe")
WEnd
EndIf

[czardas]

It looks like you're on the right track to me. Code doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to make sense. You should add comments. I'm assuming this is working now.

[water]

I use a modified version of _Singleton to make sure that only one instance is running at a time:

expandcollapse popup

While 1
    If _Singleton("xyz", 1) = 0 Then
        $iSleep = @AutoItPID * 10
        Sleep($iSleep)
    Else
        ExitLoop
    EndIf
WEnd

; #FUNCTION# ====================================================================================================================
; Name...........: _Singleton
; Description ...: Enforce a design paradigm where only one instance of the script may be running.
; Syntax.........: _Singleton($sOccurenceName[, $iFlag = 0])
; Parameters ....: $sOccurenceName - String to identify the occurrence of the script.  This string may not contain the \ character unless you are placing the object in a namespace (See Remarks).
;                  $iFlag          - Behavior options.
;                  |0 - Exit the script with the exit code -1 if another instance already exists.
;                  |1 - Return from the function without exiting the script.
;                  |2 - Allow the object to be accessed by anybody in the system. This is useful if specifying a "Global\" object in a multi-user environment.
; Return values .: Success    - The handle to the object used for synchronization (a mutex).
;                  Failure    - 0
; Author ........: Valik
; Modified.......:
; Remarks .......: You can place the object in a namespace by prefixing your object name with either "Global\" or "Local\".  "Global\" objects combined with the flag 2 are useful in multi-user environments.
; Related .......:
; Link ..........:
; Example .......: Yes
; ===============================================================================================================================
Func _Singleton($sOccurenceName, $iFlag = 0)

    Local Const $ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS = 183
    Local $tSecurityAttributes = 0
    Local $handle = DllCall("kernel32.dll", "handle", "CreateMutexW", "struct*", $tSecurityAttributes, "bool", 1, "wstr", $sOccurenceName)
    If @error Then Return SetError(@error, @extended, 0)
    Local $lastError = DllCall("kernel32.dll", "dword", "GetLastError")
    If @error Then Return SetError(@error, @extended, 0)
    If $lastError[0] = $ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS Then
        DllCall("kernel32.dll", "bool", "CloseHandle", "handle", $handle[0])
        If @error Then Return SetError(@error, @extended, 0)
        If BitAND($iFlag, 1) Then
            Return SetError($lastError[0], $lastError[0], 0)
        Else
            Exit -1
        EndIf
    EndIf
    Return $handle[0]

EndFunc   ;==>_Singleton

Edited October 22, 2013 by water

[czardas]

I believe the OP wants processes to remain dormant until they become first in the queue, after earlier instances have terminated. It seems a good idea to use @AutoItPID, although I'm not 100% sure about this. PIDs may not always appear in sequence. I really don't know, not without running tests.

Edited October 22, 2013 by czardas

[water]

That's exactly what my code does. I use it in an evironment where 30 instances of a script might be started by an application at the same time.

[czardas]

Ah okay water. I didn't notice the modified code lower down - duh. Nice example!

Edited October 22, 2013 by czardas

[water]

>Here is the thread with the discussion why a modified version of _Singleton is needed.

[Juvigy]

Great. Thanks Water. Please have a look at my other thread about Outlook error and the issue with rules and attachments