>I am new to the list. I have FutureBasic II that I use for my LC, LC II,
>and Powerbook 180c. None of these, of course are power macs. I am a low
>power programmer also, writing Hypercard stacks and little Basic programs
>for stuff around my office.
>
>I cannot figure out how to write code that will allow me to launch a
>program from within a FutureBasic program. I want to have a screen pop up
>that allows me to launch one or more files or programs from a list. For
>instance, let's say I have these files:
>	Monthly Newsletter template (file)
>	News items (hypercard stack)
>	Page fillers (hypercard stack)
>	Daily Bulletin template (file)
>	Calendar (program)
>When I click on a button labeled "Bulletin" I want "Daily Bulletin
>template" to open, along with "News items." When I click on a button
>labeled "Newsletter," I want "Monthly Newsletter template,"News items," and
>"Page fillers" to open. I can do this in Hypercard (and have) but it is not
>as elegant an interface as I would like to make. I am working on a project
>that would integrate many aspects of communications in my office into one
>program. As it is now, I have a bunch of little programs, and this little
>problem is holding me up.
>
>I also want to know how I would store the addreses of those files in the
>program itself in the resource fork or data fork. In other words, after
>running it for the first time, the program will ask where each file is with
>a file menu picker window, and then remember that location. I know I could
>set up a preference file, but prefer to cut down on that sort of clutter.
>
>I would appreciate a private answer to these questions. I have days and
>days of digests backed up as it is. So, if you answer to the list (for some
>other readers' sakes), I would appreciate a blind copy also sent to me.
>


The purpose of the list is public answers that help everybody, so I 
will do so here.

There are three ways to sublaunch files. the method used in System 6 
(no obsolete) used a small sublaunch parameter block. (Used in FBII's 
RUN command.) The method used in system 7 used a larger parameter 
block. (Used in some examples created by Ariel Publishing on the IB 
Compleat CD and in other places, I think.) the modern way (later 
versions of system 7 and beyond) is to use Apple Events to send a 
message to the application. This is what is used in FB^3.

If you are going to do it in FBII, you have a lot of work ahead of 
you. If your systems are old and you are not ready to upgrade, the 
old RUN statement might serve you well, but it was designed (back in 
the old days) to launch apps, not open files.

Alternatively, if you want to see the general method used, you can 
look at the following code. But remember that this was just ripped 
from a working program and the surrounding stuff will have to be 
filled in by you.

'--------------------------------------------------------------
'AEOpenFile
'DCB 10/29/96
'--------------------------------------------------------------
CLEAR LOCAL MODE
_kFinderSig                     = _"FNDR"         'Constants
_kAEFinderEvents                = _"FNDR"
_kSystemType                    = _"MACS"
_kAEOpenSelection               = _"sope"
_kKeySelection                  = _"fsel"
_kTypeProcessSerialNumber       = _"psn "
_kTypeAlias                     = _"alis"
_kKeyDirectObject               = _"----"
'_kAutoGenerateReturnID          = -1
'_kAnyTransactionID              = 0
'_kAEAlwaysInteract              = &30
'_kAECanSwitchLayer              = &40
'_kAENormalPriority              = 0
'_kAEDefaultTimeout              = -1

DIM fileSpec;0,vRefNum%,parID&,63 filename$       'FSSpec for incoming file
DIM myProcess;8                                   'Process SN of the Finder
DIM appleEvent;0,dType0&,dHandle0&                'AE Record for the AppleEvent
DIM returnDesc;0,dType1&,dHandle1&                'AE Desc returned 
by AESend proc
DIM fileList;0,dType2&,dHandle2&                  'AE Desc for file list
DIM psnDesc;0,dType3&,dHandle3&                   'AE Desc for PSN 
description record
DIM parAliasDesc;0,dType4&,dHandle4&              'AE Desc for parent 
dir alias description record
DIM fileAliasDesc;0,dType5&,dHandle5&             'AE Desc for file 
alias description record
DIM err                                           'OSErr
DIM fromFile                                      'set to nil for NewAlias proc
DIM fileAlias&,parAlias&                          'Alias stuff
DIM fSpecAddr&

LOCAL FN cAEMgr_OpenFile(pBlk&)

   fSpecAddr& = FN getPBlkVar(pBlk&)

   'Get PSN of Finder
   LONG IF FN FindAProcess(_kFinderSig,_kSystemType,myProcess) = _noErr
     'Create target addr
     LONG IF FN 
AECreateDesc(_kTypeProcessSerialNumber,myProcess,8,psnDesc) = _noErr
       'Create empty AE
       LONG IF FN 
AECreateAppleEvent(_kAEFinderEvents,_kAEOpenSelection,psnDesc,_kAutoGe 
nerateReturnID,_kAnyTransactionID,appleEvent) = _noErr
         'Make alias for file and parent directory
         fromFile  = 0
         err       = FN NEWALIAS(fromFile,fSpecAddr&.nil%,fileAlias&)
         filename$ = ""
         LONG IF FN NEWALIAS(fromFile,fSpecAddr&.nil%,parAlias&) = _noErr
           'Create file list
           LONG IF FN AECreateList(0,0,_false,fileList) = _noErr
             'Create and load folder descriptor
             err = FN HLOCK(parAlias&)
             err = FN AECreateDesc(_kTypeAlias,=[parAlias&],FN 
GETHANDLESIZE(parAlias&),parAliasDesc)
             DEF DISPOSEH(parAlias&)
             LONG IF FN 
AEPutParamDesc(appleEvent,_kKeyDirectObject,parAliasDesc) = _noErr
               'Create and load file descriptor
               err = FN HLOCK(fileAlias&)
               err = FN AECreateDesc(_kTypeAlias,=[fileAlias&],FN 
GETHANDLESIZE(fileAlias&),fileAliasDesc)
               DEF DISPOSEH(fileAlias&)
               LONG IF FN AEPutDesc(fileList,0,fileAliasDesc) = _noErr
                 'Load filelist into AE
                 LONG IF FN 
AEPutParamDesc(appleEvent,_kKeySelection,fileList) = _noErr
                   'Send the Apple Event
                   err = FN 
AESend(appleEvent,returnDesc,_kAENoReply_kAEAlwaysInteract_kAECanSwitc 
hLayer,_kAENormalPriority,_kAEDefaultTimeout,0,0)
                 END IF
               END IF
             END IF
           END IF
         END IF
       END IF
     END IF
   END IF

   'Kill all desc records
   IF dType0& THEN err = FN AEDISPOSEDESC(dType0&)
   IF dType1& THEN err = FN AEDISPOSEDESC(dType1&)
   IF dType2& THEN err = FN AEDISPOSEDESC(dType2&)
   IF dType3& THEN err = FN AEDISPOSEDESC(dType3&)
   IF dType4& THEN err = FN AEDISPOSEDESC(dType4&)
   IF dType5& THEN err = FN AEDISPOSEDESC(dType5&)
END FN = err



Best,

-STAZ  ~)~

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