Northcode's Runtime.exe verses Proxy.exe

[joe frasier]

Me again. I have noticed that the no timeout proxy will execute commands in the batch file at any time, but I still am having a time-related problem in that if my first program doesn't terminate within so many seconds, the second program will run, but without the focus in it so that you have to click on it with the mouse to make it the active window that accepts keyboard input. Problem is my application is sort of a kiosk-type use that will not have any mouse. Again, this approach works fine when I just call the batch file, but I get the ugly DOS window.

Any idea why this is?

As a point of interest, I tried getting around this problem by putting into the batch file a call to another renamed proxy.exe (Test.exe) to launch the second appl., so:

Batchfile.exe and Test.exe are both no-timeout copies of proxy.exe and:

Batchfile.bat has:
Appl1.exe
Test.exe

and Test.bat has:
Appl2.exe

So then I run Batchfile.exe and what then happens is that Appl1.exe runs and after a few seconds Appl2.exe starts even though the first process Appl1 hasn't yet stopped. So, I am not sure why the second line (Test.exe) of the batch file is being executed because I am not using the start command.

Again, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Northcode]

I'm not sure what's happening with the focus issues but I may have a solution. Instead of just starting your second application, you can use my ncstart utility to launch it and make it the topmost window at the same time. The are examples and intructions in the ZIP file. If making the window topmost is not enough to resolve the focus issues, I can add a new argument to set the focus as well

[Northcode]

The easiest way to set things up is to put the BAT file, the renamed proxy.EXE file and the PDF you want to open in the fscommand folder beside your projector (your projector does NOT go in the fscommand folder).

If you're using Vista you might want to have a look at Fixing the Windows Start Comman in Vista on my blog.

[chellescreation]

I'm on XP, so it's not a vista problem. And as far as I can tell, I have my set-up exactly as you described. My projector file is in my root folder and the proxy.exe, .bat file, and pdf or slideshow files are all in the fscommand folder. But I'm not getting anything at all when I click on the button calling the proxy.exe. The whole proxy setup seems to be working fine on it's own, but I just can't seem to get flash to call it correctly.

[Northcode]

Then are you 100% SURE the code on your button is getting called? Put some code in the button release along with the fscommand that changes something on the stage so you KNOW its being called. If that doesn't work, ZIP it all up and send it to me at [email protected] and I'll take a peek at it for you. Just send a test FLA that launches the EXE file, I don't want to dig through your entire FLA

[chellescreation]

If I put in a geturl command to open the pdf, the pdf does open. There's something about the fscommand function that isn't working.

I'll send you a test file. Thanks for your help!

[Northcode]

You're using version 1.0 of the proxy utility that you probably downloaded from a link here at FlashKit. My blog has the latest copy of proxy that works with Flash CS3.

[jamen_From_Uni]

hi northcode, as u can see im new at this, and i was really impressed with your other work which yes i have now implemented and have working.

i just wanted to know if it was possible to copy a whole folder to the desktop or unzip a .rar file in the process of copying it to the desktop.

if you could help me in this i would really appriciate it.

thanks in advance

jamen_from_uni

[Northcode]

Anything you can do in a BAT file can be kicked off from Flash. So as long as you have a command line tool that does what you need (like pkunzip.exe) then you can just put the call in a BAT file and EXEC that BAT file from Flash. Once you get that working you can clean it up and make it pretty using proxy.

[jamen_From_Uni]

um i hate to sound dumb but any code you could share to get this working would be greatlly appriciated. i dont know what you ment by pkunzip. was that a exe file or something i had to write in.

sorry im just not that good at this, and need it to finish off this project im doing.

Ok i just googled the PKunzip and got an exe file. however it will not work on my computer because i am runnig a 64 bit system. do you know a link that would allow me to download a 64bit one. and then how will i put it on the desktop, then unzip it.

this is what really confuses me

[Northcode]

You'll need a 64-bit compatible version of a zip/unzip tool that allows you to run it from the command line. Be warned that not all your users will have 64-bit systems so you need to find a solution that works with 32 and 64-bit systems. The old pkzip/pkunzip utilities were 16-bit DOS (command line only) apps which is why they may not work properly on your 64-bit system, although the WOW (Windows on Windows) layer should kick in when you try to start one of those old applications. Alternatives compression utilities you can try are 7-zip or winrar.