exec(string Program, string Options, int Flags)
Execute an external program, open a document or URL, or run a script or batch file.
Parameters:
Program - file name of the exe, batch file, document, URL to be opened.
Use "Editor" for opening the script editor,
"Viewer" for opening the chart viewer, and
"Zorro" for another Zorro instance.
Options - command line parameter string to be passed to the program, or 0 for no command line options.
Flags - 1 for waiting until the external program was terminated,
2 for hiding its window, otherwise 0.
Returns:
0 if the program was not found or could not be started,
otherwise the return code of the program in mode 1, or the
process ID in mode 0.
Remarks:
- The Program parameter can specify a full path (from the root), a partial path (from the Zorro folder), or just a filename. In the latter case the exec function first looks for the file in the Zorro folder, and then in the in the folders specified by the system's PATH environment variable.
- If the Program string does not have a filename extension, the exec function first tries the .COM extension, then the .EXE extension, then the .BAT extension, and finally the .CMD extension.
- If the Program string contains a URL or the name of a document, the standard internet browser or the standard editor for that document is opened.
- '\' characters in strings, like for file paths, have to be given in C-Notation as "\\".
- The external program can be controlled with the keys function.
- Data can be exchanged with the executed program through a text file; an
example can be found under Python.
Examples (see also Python):
exec("notepad","test.txt",0); // open notepad
exec("Editor",strf("Log\\%s.csv",Script),0); // open a .csv file in the Log folder with the editor
exec("c:\\program files\\internet explorer\\iexplore.exe","https://zorro-project.com",0); // open an URL with Internet Explorer
exec("https://zorro-project.com",0,0); // open an URL with the standard browser
exec("Zorro","-run Myscript.c",1); // run a Zorro script in another instance
exec("Zorro",strf("-train %s",Script),0); // train current script in another Zorro instance
See also:
window, keys
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