Continue after .exe finishes

Hi,

I am running an external .exe file that returns something to the matlab command line once it has finished. I would like to use this in an optimization but currently the enter key needs to be pressed in the command line in order for the .exe to close and then for the matlab code to continue.

Here's how i'm calling the .exe: eval(['!program',tempfilename]);

Is there a way I can continue after it has finished? I have tried a timer and the java robot, but neither seem to work.

Thanks,

[Rik]

You will have to find a way to get your program to work without interaction.

Also, why aren't you using system instead of eval?

Answer 1

[Joel Lynch]

You can use system() function to pass the command (as a string) without the "!" symbol. If using unix OS, you can pipe (with the | character) a newline character entry ( with echo -e '\n') to a program. System will wait until both commands are completed. Note: the double apostrophes around \n are needed as escape characters and print an apostrophe.

system(['echo -e ''\n'' | ',some_exe_str]);

Not sure if using Windows...

[SamiamO]

Sorry, yes using Windows. Thanks, i'll try this!

[Joel Lynch]

echo and piping should work in system() on windows, but the key entry may not. I would look around other forums for ways to simualte keystrokes in windows command line. Whatever approach you find just needs to replace the "echo -e '\n'" bit, and you can test the command in powershell outside of matlab first.

[SamiamO]

status = system(sprintf('Program "%s" <NUL',tempfilename));

This seems to work using <NUL but then I get the following on the command line which might be a problem:

forrtl: severe (24): end-of-file during read, unit -4, file CONIN$

Image PC Routine Line Source

Program.exe 008AC610 Unknown Unknown Unknown

[Joel Lynch]

That looks like an internal error of the executable you are running. Are you sure the executable would run correctly outside of MATLAB?

[SamiamO]

Hi,

This has worked for me: status = system(sprintf('echo. | program "%s" ',tempfilename));

Thanks so much for your help!

[Joel Lynch]

Glad to hear it. What does the period after echo do?

You shouldn't need to use sprintf though, this should work too and be simpler:

status = system( [ 'echo. | program ',tempfilename] );

assuming tempfilename is a string.

[Rik]

Or with the double quote:

status = system( [ 'echo. | program "' tempfilename '"'] );

[SamiamO]

Thanks all, working perfectly now! - also the period is not necessary, thanks for pointing that out.