VB function declaration (must be on a single line in VB)

Declare Function SpawnAndWait& Lib "RUNLIB.DLL" (ByVal parenthwnd%,
ByVal lpszOp$, ByVal lpszFile$, ByVal lpszParams$, ByVal lpszDir$,
ByVal nShow%)

DWORD SpawnAndWait(hwnd, lpszOp, lpszFile, lpszParams, lpszDir, fsShowCmd)

HWND   hwnd        /* handle of parent window                          */
LPCSTR lpszOp      /* address of string for operation to perform       */
LPCSTR lpszFile    /* address of string for filename                   */
LPCSTR lpszParams  /* address of string for executable-file parameters */
LPSCTR lpszDir     /* address of string for default directory          */
int    fsCmdShow   /* whether file is shown when opened                */

The SpawnAndWait function executes and waits for termination of the specified
application or associated file.

Parameter  Description

hwnd       Identifies the parent window. This window receives any message
           boxes an application produces (for example, for error reporting). 

lpszOp     Points to a null-terminated string specifying the operation to
           perform. This string can be "open" or "print". If this parameter 
           is NULL, "open" is the default value. 

lpszFile   Points to a null-terminated string specifying the file to
           open. 

lpszParams Points to a null-terminated string specifying parameters
           NULL, "open" is the default value. passed to the application when 
           the lpszFile parameter specifies an executable file. If lpszFile 
           points to a string specifying a document file, this parameter is 
           NULL. 

lpszDir    Points to a null-terminated string specifying the default
           directory. 

fsShowCmd  Specifies whether the application window is to be shown when
           the application is opened. See ShowWindow for valid values.

Returns

HIWORD == hInstance of started application. Values less than 32 are errors 
          returned from ShellExecute. 0xFFFF is general error

LOWORD == return code of spawned application. 0xFFFF is general error

Comments

The file specified by the lpszFile parameter can be a document file or
an executable file. If it is a document file, this function opens or
prints it, depending on the value of the lpszOp parameter. If it is
an executable file, this function opens it, even if the string "print"
is pointed to by lpszOp.

WARNING: This function will not wait on apps like Word and Excel that
responsed to the DDE broadcast mad by ShellExecute or the second
instance of multiple data applications.

WARNING: This function supports only one block at a time per task.
Calling tasks should not call this function when it has a prior
pending SpawnAndWait call.

DWORD SpawnAndWaitIndirect(lpSpawnWait)

LPSPAWNWAIT lpSpawnWait /* far reference to SPAWNWAIT structure

typedef struct tagSPAWNWAIT
{
   HWND   hwnd;         
   LPCSTR lpszOp;       
   LPCSTR lpszFile;     
   LPCSTR lpszParams;   
   LPCSTR lpszDir;      
   int    fsShowCmd;    
   LPMSGPROC lpmsgproc; 
} SPAWNWAIT;

Member       Description

hwnd         handle of parent window 
lpszOp       address of string for operation to perform   
lpszFile     address of string for filename   
lpszParams   address of string for executable-file parameters   
lpszDir      address of string for default directory   
fsShowCmd    whether file is shown when opened 
lpmsgproc    address of application provided MessagePump (must load 
             DS on entry)

void CALLBACK MessagePump(lpmsg)

LPSMG lpsg   /* long pointer to MSG to process

Message Proc is a place holder for an application provided callback 
function (which must load DS on entry) that will process messages
retrieved in runlib's PeekMessage loop. Allows calling application
to do modless dialog and accelerator message proccessing.

lpmsgproc should be set to NULL if not used. RunLib will do a default
TranslateMessage/DispatchMessage instead.

example of message processing function for MDI application

void CALLBACK MyMessagePump(LPMSG lpmsg)
{
   if(!TranslateMDISysAccel(hClient, lpsmg) &&
      !TranslateAccelerator(hFram, hAccel, lpsmg))
      {
         TranslateMessage(lpsmg);
         DispatchMessage(lpmsg);
      }
}

Returns

HIWORD == hInstance of started application. Values less than 32 are errors 
          returned from ShellExecute. 0xFFFF is general error

LOWORD == return code of spawned application. 0xFFFF is general error

Comments

The file specified by the lpszFile parameter can be a document file or
an executable file. If it is a document file, this function opens or
prints it, depending on the value of the lpszOp parameter. If it is
an executable file, this function opens it, even if the string "print"
is pointed to by lpszOp.

WARNING: This function will not wait on apps like Word and Excel that
responsed to the DDE broadcast mad by ShellExecute or the second
instance of multiple data applications.

WARNING: This function supports only one block at a time per task.
Calling tasks should not call this function when it has a prior
pending SpawnAndWait call.