ShellExecute

[ToniAz]

Hello Everyone.

I've been practicing some "useful" C++ syntax in a way I can interact with windows. I've learned ShellExecute, I've tried using it to start up a game (Okay...); but I think I got a wrong syntax cuz the build file called RUN.exe when put in the game folder doesn't call the game, as supposed.
here's the code

#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    ShellExecute(NULL, "open", "\hl.exe -console -game cstrike", NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);
    return 0;
}

(1) I know the handle must be NULL because i doesn't open in a window.
(2) I'm not too sure about the file path, as the file path depends on the game folder.
(3) I've included the " -console -game cstrike" in the file path because I'm not sure wethere they are called parameters (don't actually know what exactly parameters are)

Thanks for any help!

[Duthomhas]

Always read documentation for the function you want. You need to be careful with the directory components. Also, be careful with escape sequences in string literals.

    string dir = "D:\\somewhere";
    if ((unsigned)ShellExecute(
        NULL,
        "open",
        (dir + "\\hl.exe").c_str(),
        "-console -game cstrike",
        dir.c_str(),
        SW_SHOWNORMAL
        ) <= 32)
    {
        cerr << "Fooey. I could not execute \"hl.exe\".\n";
        return 1;
    }

Hope this helps.

[Disch]

Of course you should use / for directory separators and not \\.

;P

[Zhuge]

Well, it is a Windows function, so it's not too out of line.

[Disch]

yeah but / works on Windows too.