Locking file on system from standalone app

Is it possible to lock a file in a compiled, standalone Matlab exe so that some separate program will know the file is locked? I will control both apps, so it's ok if the lock is not strictly enforceable.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

One of the easier ways is to create a lock file that the other routine checks for, deleting the lock file to unlock.

[Sean]

Is this a system function call, or do you simply create file.lock and check if that exists prior to reading?

[Walter Roberson]

You can just create any file whose name is agreed upon between the two parts.