Closing open Win32 Applications

kcella has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I am using WIn32::OLE to access the windows library functions of XMLSpy. I want the wrapper class I created to have a method to close any open instances of XMLSpy. I am using Win32::OLE->GetActiveObject to loop through the open copies and call the XMLSPy Quit method on each of them unitl there are no more left. But, when I test the code it does not work (I have one copy/window open). The method completes successfully, but the app remains open. Here is the code:

# close all running instances of XMLSpy
while($open_app=Win32::OLE->GetActiveObject,'XMLSpy.Application'))
{
      $open_app->Quit;
      if( Win32::OLE->LastError() )
      {
         exit 0;
      }
      undef $open_app;
}
[download]

Is it possible to do this? I know the Quit method works, because I can close an XMLSpy app when none are already open and create my own object reference. thanks, Kevin

Comment on Closing open Win32 Applications Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Closing open Win32 Applications by NetWallah (Canon) on Dec 06, 2003 at 22:55 UTC
There may be a bug that causes XMLSpy to run in a different user context. Check out this Microsoft MSDN article for a similar problem/solution in Access.	[reply]
Re: Re: Closing open Win32 Applications by Anonymous Monk on Dec 08, 2003 at 14:54 UTC
I attempted the context fix from Microsft, but the app still does not close. When I test the application, I create the open instance of XMLSpy by using the standard windows GUI (I click on the shortcut icon). I use pertty much all the other OLE methods with the open window, but I can never get it to quit the application. There must be a difference between an OLE object created in PERL or one created by an interactive user.	[reply]
Re: Closing open Win32 Applications by Nitrox (Chaplain) on Dec 06, 2003 at 13:12 UTC
I have run into situations where an application doesn't properly register itself in the ROT (Running Object Table), so GetActiveObject() doesn't "see" an app instance. You can use a utility called IROTVIEW to view the ROT realtime. -Nitrox	[reply]
Re: Re: Closing open Win32 Applications by Anonymous Monk on Dec 06, 2003 at 18:40 UTC
That is not the case here...I can retrieve the OLE object for the one copy of XMLSpy I have open, but the Quit method just doesn't seem to be closing it out.	[reply]