How to start and stop exe

From Forum Nokia Wiki

Reviewer Approved

To start a exe

Symbian 8 and earlier

#include <eikdll.h>
TInt err = EikDll::StartExeL(_L("c:\\system\\apps\\test.exe"));

Symbian 9, for Server or Console application

#include <apgcli.h> // link against apgrfx.lib
#include <apacmdln.h> // link against apparc.lib
 
TThreadId app_threadid;
CApaCommandLine* cmdLine; 
cmdLine=CApaCommandLine::NewLC();
cmdLine->SetExecutableNameL(_L("test.exe"));
cmdLine->SetCommandL( EApaCommandRun );
RApaLsSession ls;
User::LeaveIfError(ls.Connect());
TInt err=ls.StartApp(*cmdLine,app_threadid);
ls.Close();
CleanupStack::PopAndDestroy(); // cmdLine

Symbian 9, for View-based application

#include <apgcli.h> // link against apgrfx.lib
const TUid KAppUid={0x12345678};
_LIT(KDocName,"C:\\Data\\document.txt");
TThreadId app_threadid;
RApaLsSession ls;
User::LeaveIfError(ls.Connect());
TInt err=ls.StartDocument(KDocName, KAppUid, app_threadid);
ls.Close();

Symbian 9, RProcess

_LIT(KMyExeFile,"test.exe");
_LIT(KMyExeFileCmd,"first_argument second third");
 
RProcess proc;
User::LeaveIfError(proc.Create(KMyExeFile,KMyExeFileCmd));
// start the process running! Don't forget this.
proc.Resume();
proc.Close(); // Closes the handle, not the process.

To stop it

First, you need to find the process

On Symbian 9, process name is in the following format:

<name>[<UID3>]<instance number>

where: <name> - the name of executable or the name of Console - so remember it can be changed;

<UID3> - UID3 of executable, in lowercase HEX, 8 digits, always the same;

<instance number> - instance number, 4 digits, starting from 0001. For example name of kernel process is:

ekern.exe[100041af]0001

Killing

Note: For S60 3rd Edition development, you are required the PowerMgmt capability to achieve this task.

TFindProcess processFinder(_L("test.exe*")); // by name, case-sensitive
//or
//TFindProcess processFinder(_L("*[12345678]*")); // by UID3
TFullName result;
RProcess processHandle;
while ( processFinder.Next(result) == KErrNone) 
{
   User::LeaveIfError(processHandle.Open ( processFinder, EOwnerThread));
   processHandle.Kill(KErrNone);
   processHandle.Close();
}

"Danger, Will Robinson!"
Killing a process is bad practice as the internal state of the process and of the resources it might have open cannot be controlled. It is recommended that your implement a communication mechanism that would allow you to tell your daemon to release the reserved resources and then exit.

Community: Wiki