How can I close an application from VB-6?

For example: there is a program running in the system name: Reader.exe
What command shall I give in order to close that exe file?

This could be of help: http://www.andreavb.com/tip020021.html

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Thans JL. I will give a try with that command.

By the way, is there any other command other than API? For example, i can run a exe file by Shell command. But how can i close that exe file from VB other than API command?

The only 100% way to make sure is with an API. Any other method would be really glitchy and potentially shutdown programs that you don't want to close.

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Well, i am not an API expert. I just copied your code and inserted into my module.bas. But unfortunately, it detects the program but doesnt close.

sub main ()
mainprogram.show 1
..
..

Call KillProcess("datareader.exe")

Shell App.Path & "datareader.exe", vbNormalFocus  'run the program.

end sub

but it doesnt kill the open 'datareader.exe' program. What i have done mistake?

Second: In VB5 when i was working with MSWORD/Excel then i was able to check the program was running or not. If running then just open the file else run exe file.... But i forgot the command. Your API command seems great and traced all program names. But why it doesnt kill?

Hopefully you ran the program first, then killed it. You posted that you killed the process first, then opened it.

Check the routine as it's running to see if it actually hits the TerminateProcess line, if not, have it display the names that it's checking, the program's process name may be different.

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Hi JL,

It hits the TerminateProcess line. I debug the command i checked every step by step. It founds datareader.exe then hits TerminateProcess line. But datareader.exe doesnt close.

found as follows:
SzExename = "datareader.exe"
NameProcess = "datareader.exe"
PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS = 0
uProcess.th32ProcessID = 1964
MyProcess = 0  'seems here might be the problem
then hits terminateprocess line but datareader.exe still on.  

The reason i killed first then opened because -> every time i exit from my main program it runs datareader. First time this program works fine.

2nd time when i want to start my main prgram then it should check if datareader.exe running then close the datareader.exe and use mainprogram datareaderform.

Any Help?

If you know the program's caption (title in title bar):

' I quickly modified code for here, but it should work Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long Private Declare Function PostMessage Lib "user32" Alias "PostMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long Const WM_CLOSE = &H10 Private Sub Form_Load()     Dim WinWnd As Long     WinWnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, "Title Of Window")     If WinWnd <> 0 Then         PostMessage WinWnd, WM_CLOSE, 0&, 0&     Else         MsgBox "No window of that name exists."     End If End Sub

[Edited by JLRodgers on 13-03-2003 at 06:58 PM GMT]

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This works great. Thank a lot JL.

quote:

---

JLRodgers wrote:
If you know the program's caption (title in title bar):

' I quickly modified code for here, but it should work Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long Private Declare Function PostMessage Lib "user32" Alias "PostMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long Const WM_CLOSE = &H10 Private Sub Form_Load()     Dim WinWnd As Long     WinWnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, "Title Of Window")     If WinWnd <> 0 Then         PostMessage WinWnd, WM_CLOSE, 0&, 0&     Else         MsgBox "No window of that name exists."     End If End Sub

[Edited by JLRodgers on 13-03-2003 at 06:58 PM GMT]

---

Basic difference between those API's is that SendMessage API send message to another windows procedure and waits for it to return, while PostMessage API queues message in message queue and returns immediately. I will put an example for you to understand it better.

Let's say you are setting some property using SendMessage it will set it, and after its done it will continue with executing your code. If your next line in code is reading this property, it will return new value.

Now, if you change this property with PostMessage it will return immediately, queuing this message. So, if you try to get the value of this property, it will not return its new value, but old one.

So, you would use PostMessage when its execution is not urgent (like some notifications) or when you want to wait for the current proccessing to finish before proccessing this one.

P.S. I almost forgot that there is a FAQ section.      

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If you find the answer helpful, please mark this topic as solved.

Thanx Goran.

That was very clear and now I have an understanding of the differences. I can now make an informed decision of what API to use in such circumstances. Thank you again.     

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