How to close a dos window after a .exe is finished running?

When I run the .exe outside matlab i have to press enter to close the dos window. It is only then that I can re-run the .exe for the next simulation. There is a note in the bottom loop where I am hoping to force the dos window to close... how do I script this?

clear all;
clc;
%Solute transport parameters in row 47 of SELECTOR.IN file
SolTrans=[0.035 0 1 0.0479 0 0 0 0 273895 1 0 0 0 0]; %[Kd Nu Beta Henry SnkL1 SnkS1 SnkG1 SnkL1p SnkS1p SnkG1p SnkL10 SnkS10 SnkG10 Alfa] !! UPDATE NUMBERS IN BRACKETS !!

%~~~~~~
%ADD NOISE TO SOLUTE TRANSPORT PARAMETERS 
num_sim=100;    %100 Monte Carlo Simulations
Kd=SolTrans(1)+.00*rand(1,num_sim); %a vector with 100 values of Kd parameters. We assume that the error is normally distributed with a standard deviation of ##.
Nu=SolTrans(2)+.00*rand(1,num_sim);
Beta=SolTrans(3)+.00*rand(1,num_sim);      %!!! CHANGE .02 FOR ALL THESE TO APPROPRIATE STANDARD DEVIATIONSN !!!
Henry=SolTrans(4)+.00*rand(1,num_sim);
SnkL1=SolTrans(5); 
SnkS1=SolTrans(6);
SnkG1=SolTrans(7);
SnkL1p=SolTrans(8);
SnkS1p=SolTrans(9)+.00*rand(1,num_sim);      %!!! FOR AWI MODIFIED MODEL - KL - LANGMUIR EXPONENT FOR AWI FOR LANGMUIR SORPTION or 0 FOR FREUNDLICH SORPTION
SnkG1p=SolTrans(10);
SnkL10=SolTrans(11);
SnkS10=SolTrans(12);
SnkG10=SolTrans(13);
Alfa=SolTrans(14);



%~~~~~~
%INITIALIZE FILES AND DIRECTORIES
hydrus_exec='C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\H1D_CALC.exe';   
hydrus_ref= 'C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\AFFF1PFOS';   
profileDAT= 'C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\AFFF1PFOS\PROFILE.DAT';    
options=    'C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\AFFF1PFOS\Options.in';
atmosph=    'C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\AFFF1PFOS\ATMOSPH.IN';
selectorIN= 'C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\AFFF1PFOS\SELECTOR.IN';  
level=      'C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\LEVEL_01.dir';
work_dir=   'C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\Simulations\';
mkdir(work_dir);

%~~~~~~
%CREATE DIRECTORIES AND INPUT FILES - This block is doing the work. Creates the input files for all realizations. Copies the mandatory file Profile.dat to 
% the corresponding folder and creates the corresponding Selector
% .in. The Selector.in file is different for each realization since the solute transport parameters is 
% variable. The code reads the reference Selector.in, copies the first 46 lines to the new file, write the van Genuchten parameters to the 47th line, 
% and finally copies the last 10 lines from the reference Selector.in to the new file.

path=cell(1,num_sim);
for i=1:num_sim
    % create folder for each run 
    path{i}=strcat(work_dir,'MC_',num2str(i));           
    mkdir(path{i});    
    
    % Copy input files in MC iteration file       
    copyfile(profileDAT,path{i}); 
    copyfile(options,path{i}); 
    copyfile(atmosph,path{i}); 

    % Manipulate Selector.in for each run
    fileID_out=fopen(strcat(path{i},'\selector.in'),'wt');                        
    fileID_in=fopen(selectorIN);
    skip_lines=46;      %!!! THIS IS THE LINE THAT CHANGES IN SELECTOR.IN FILE , i.e. solute transport parameters!!!
    for k=1:(skip_lines)
        x=fgetl(fileID_in); %x = fgetl(fileID)= returns the next line of the specified file, removing the newline characters.
        fprintf(fileID_out,'%s\n',x);  % %s in the formatSpec input indicates that the values of the variables url and sitename, should be printed as text. 
                                       % '\n' as a newline indicator.   
                                       % "x" = prints the values from variable x
    end
    
    out_Sol=SolTrans; % Renaming...
    
    %Whatever the solute transport parameter is for that monte carlo run (i)
    out_Sol(1)=Kd(i);       % Solid phase sorption Kd
    out_Sol(2)=Nu(i);       % Van Genuchten parameter
    out_Sol(3)=Beta(i);     % Van Genuchten parameter
    out_Sol(4)=Henry(i);     % Kh = KL*Rmax
    out_Sol(9)=SnkS1p(i);    % KL - LANGMUIR EXPONENT FOR AWI FOR LANGMUIR SORPTION or 0 FOR FREUNDLICH SORPTION
  
    fprintf(fileID_out,'%f %f %f %f %f %f %f %f %f %f %f %f %f %f\n',out_Sol'); 
                             % %f = Fixed-point notation (Use a precision operator to specify the number of digits after the decimal point.)
                             % '\n' as a newline indicator. 
    fgetl(fileID_in);        % returns the next line of the specified file, removing the newline characters.
    skip_lines_end=5;       % CORRECT NUMBER???  DOUBLE CHECK
    for k=1:(skip_lines_end)
        x=fgetl(fileID_in);
        fprintf(fileID_out,'%s\n',x);
    end
    fclose('all');
end


mkdir(work_dir);
   
for i=1:num_sim
    % Rewrite level_01.dir with new file path for each MC iteration
    DIR_working = sprintf('%s%d','C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\Simulations\MC_',i);
    
   
    % Print the file path of HYDRUS-1D input files in LEVEL_01.dir
    DIR=fopen('C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\LEVEL_01.dir','wt+');
    fprintf(DIR,'%s\n',DIR_working);
    fclose(DIR);

    [x, y]= dos(C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\H1D_CALC.exe);
    if x % unsuccessful
        % error('exe failed'); % or take some other action besides throwing an error
    end
%THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO CLOSE THE .EXE AFTER IT HAS FINISHED RUNNING.  WHEN I RUN THE
%.EXE MANUALLY (OUTSIDE MATLAB, I HAVE TO PRESS ENTER TO CLOSE THE DOS WINDOW...BUT HOW DO
%I DO THIS IN MATLAB?? IN THIS BOTTOM LOOP I WANT TO RUN THE .EXE FOR EACH
%OF THE NUMBER OF SIMULATIONS, BUT THE .EXE WON'T RUN UNLESS THE DOS WINDOW
%IS CLOSED AT THE END OF EACH SIMULATION.
end

Many thanks!

Answer 1

[Fangjun Jiang]

I have provided this solution in several cases. You just need to have an empty line with a carriage return in that text file.

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/22797-pass-a-parameter-vector-to-an-exe-file

[Wesser]

So I found a bit of a work-around in that the .exe is running currently in the command window of Matlab, ie an external dos window is not opened...however once the .exe has finished a simulation (ie one go through the loop, i get the message in the command window that the "calculation has finished sucessfully. Press enter to continue." If I manually press the enter button, the next loop of will run until the .exe is finished again and I am again prompted to press enter. How do I get matlab to sequntially go throught the loops without me having to manually press enter? I looked at the example you shared, but I find it a bit confusing. I created a .txt file (line 15 in screen shot) with just a return saved in the body of the .txt...but it almost seems like the code is stalling out at the end of line 13. Any suggestions are very welcome!!

[Wesser]

num_sim=100;    %100 Monte Carlo Simulations
for i=1:num_sim
    % Rewrite level_01.dir with new file path for each MC iteration
    DIR_working = sprintf('%s%d','C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\Simulations\MC_',i);
   
    % Print the file path of HYDRUS-1D input files in LEVEL_01.dir
    DIR=fopen('C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\LEVEL_01.dir','wt+');
    fprintf(DIR,'%s\n',DIR_working);
    fclose(DIR);

    CloseEXE='C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\close_exe.txt';

    hydrus_exec='C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\H1D_CALC.exe';
    system(hydrus_exec < CloseEXE);

end

The last 3 lines of the loop aren't doing what I need it to do... CloseEXE is just a text file with a ruturn to the next line...trying to simulate pressing enter on the key board... This is based on this Example.

[dpb]

That does nothing to stuff a key into the keyboard buffer -- that's a mean trick...

You didn't answer the Q? raised above about the content of the input files -- that's where probably need the extra newline I'm guessing.

[Fangjun Jiang]

The correct way is:

CmdStr=[hydrus_exec, ' < ', CloseEXE];
system(CmdStr)

Answer 2

[dpb]

Use a .bat file instead -- that runs the desired executable and then ends with the 'exit' command.

[Wesser]

What do you mean by "Use a .bat file instead" ...I should probably know/understand this but ....

[dpb]

I misread the original symptoms I think -- having to hit a CR isn't the same as the .exe having completed and the session still open.

I think @Fangjun Jiang is on the right track; where does your app get its required input from? I gather maybe that's the point of all the subdirectories in that long list -- it uses a fixed name but you're running in a different subdirectory each pass?(*)

If so, ensure each input file has a trailing newline at the end of the file--I'm guessing they don't.

You can try one by hand editing it to make sure and give that a go; if that solves the problem then you'll have to do that for each one--that could be done with a MATLAB script to save time/manual edits.

(*) If you are doing this, it would likely be better to instead return the FQN (fully qualified name) of the files and pass it to the application -- one would presume it would have a mechanism for that -- on the command line would be most common way.

[hydrogall]

honestly, I'm confused by your comment. The exe runs fine and the bottom loop shown below in the screen shot is the only section that I'm having trouble with. the rest of the code is copacetic. the gist of this entire code tho is that I am making a bunch of subdirectories, each with different input files and running the .exe with each subdirectory of input files...ie running a monte carlo The input files are not the problem, of that i am certain.

the only section that is the issue is that once the .exe is sucessfully run with the 1st set of input files, then the .exe doesn't close out/end/terminate/however you want to say it...without manually pressing the enter key on my keyboard. once i do press the enter key the .exe will run again with the 2nd set of input files...but once that iteration is finished i need to push the enter button again...and so forth. how do i get matlab to magically "press" the enter button for me so that the loop runs through all the monte carlo iterations without me having to press enter over and over??

[dpb]

You said it acts the same way from the command that you have to press a return to close the window...that shouldn't be; the window should be back at the command prompt. If it isn't, that implies to me the app is still expecting input.

If the command window is actually at the command prompt to type in "exit" to close it, then the batch file option will work -- the .bat/.cmd file content would simply be

yourexecutable command line first
exit

then you submit it instead of the command to just run the executable.

Answer 3

[dpb]

Actually, the line

 [x, y]= dos(C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\H1D_CALC.exe);

can't work -- the argument to dos must be a character string and the above isn't...

Try

[status,res]=dos('C:\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\H1D_CALC.exe');

instead -- and the executable should run in background without any command window visible at all.

I just tried a little Fortran test routine here as well as a form of your mistyped line above to see if the system command would do something funky like try to open a system prompt window but, as expected it errs on the bad syntax before getting that far, so this cannot be the exact code you're running to have a problem with.

>> [s,r]=dos(C:\\GCC\bin\tmp\testit.exe)
 [s,r]=dos(C:\\GCC\bin\tmp\testit.exe)
             ↑
Error: Invalid use of operator.
 
>> 

That fails as would expect it to...

Let's run a little Fortran code -- it doesn't need any input files, but does execute w/o a visible window ever opening as should...

>> [s,r]=dos('C:\GCC\bin\tmp\testit.exe')
s =
     0
r =
    'zeros(6,4)
     0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000    
     0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000    
     0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000    
     0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000    
     0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000    
     0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000    
     eye(4)
     1.000    0.000    0.000    0.000    
     0.000    1.000    0.000    0.000    
     0.000    0.000    1.000    0.000    
     0.000    0.000    0.000    1.000    
     '
>> 

(I was checking out if new allocatable arrays were working in gfortran...)

I then modified the code to ask user for an input value -- that hangs the process awaiting that last input, but still doesn't open a visible window -- somewhat to my surprise, the default input stream is still attached through the MATLAB command window -- typing into it puts the response into the buffer for the app and lets it close successfully.

Think would have to see just how your executable runs and how it gets its input to have further insights on your issues.

Which OS we running under here?

[Wesser]

I had actually changed the bottom loop to the following after my initial post, which was reflected in the screen shot shared earlier. Sorry for not clarifying that.

The relevant code is as follows:

num_sim=100;    %100 Monte Carlo Simulations
for i=1:num_sim
    % Rewrite level_01.dir with new file path for each MC iteration
    DIR_working = sprintf('%s%d','C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\Simulations\MC_',i);
   
    % Print the file path of HYDRUS-1D input files in LEVEL_01.dir
    DIR=fopen('C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\LEVEL_01.dir','wt+');
    fprintf(DIR,'%s\n',DIR_working);
    fclose(DIR);

    hydrus_exec='C:\\Users\jessi\Desktop\HydrusMC\H1D_CALC.exe';
    system(hydrus_exec);

end

When I run this, I get the following prompt (see new screen shot):

"Calculations have finished successfully.

Press Enter to continue"

The .exe is Hydrus1D (PC-Progress) a fortran/windows based modeling package for water/solute transport.

[dpb]

Oh. That's a completely different scenario -- that's an excessively informative annoying message from the application itself.

I suppose there no user option to not display it? Can recompile the code to remove it if not?

[Wesser]

I've also been working with the creators of Hydrus to try to resolve this...I'm getting told its a matlab coding issue, but maybe it isn't? Maybe this is a flaw elsewhere...

[Fangjun Jiang]

See my comment in the answer above. I believe this issue could be resolved.

[dpb]

@Fangjun Jiang -- It's worth a try....indeed, it worked on my gfortran test example here -- presuming it is a console app and is reading from standard input.

@Wesser -- what is their basis for saying it's MATLAB-specific (other than they don't have a solution so it's easiest to blame somebody else)?

If there isn't a way to bypass the prompt with a program command line/switch, then IF it is a console app and reading that input from standard input, then the file redirection @Fangjun Jiang will work. It's certainly simple enough to test; just create a file with the line feed in it and make sure it is also either a fully-qualified filename or is in the same location so it will be sure to be found. As noted above, it does work to kill my test gfortran case that was waiting for input with the test code I inserted.

The Hydrus folks ought to know this ploy -- surely they get ragged on by such a requirement by batch users all the time. My earlier suggestion was hoping maybe you could avoid the extra complication of having to ensure the second little file was around.

[Wesser]

This ended up working!! Many thanks for your time on this!

[dpb]

Yeah, once figured out that it wasn't the command shell were needing to exit from but the application itself asking for user input, the whole problem changed drastically. @Fangjun Jiang presumed that from the git-go, I read the original post literally instead... :)