Detecting Graphical interface after calling Runtime.exec()

Question

I'm trying to integrate with a legacy system. The legacy system uses dialog windows to report errors. It have no return codes at all except for the dialog windows. I start the legacy system with Runtime.exec().

Is there a way to detect if the executed program has spawned dialog windows or any other graphical interface? This solution is done in Windows and the executed program is an exe.

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 13 '11 at 17:11

If the legacy system report errors in console, is possible get your erros.
Simply take the inputstream of error and do your reading.

Like this:

Runtime rt = Runtime.getRuntime();
Process proc = rt.exec(cmd);
// any error message?
InputStream error = proc.getErrorStream(); 
InputStreamReader isr = new InputStreamReader(error);
BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(isr);
String line=null;
while ( (line = br.readLine()) != null)
      System.out.println(" ERROR >" + line);

I recommend to read: Runtime.exec() quirks

Hope this help.

I afraid that does not work. As i sad it only interacts with graphical windows. There is nothing on stderr. — Mikael Svensson, Dec 14 '11 at 08:58

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:11

1

You can use this JNA snippet to poll for windows started by your process.

AFAIK, you can only get the standard and error output streams from a process using the Java Process API.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:11

Community

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answered Dec 13 '11 at 20:46

Garrett Hall

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score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 14 '11 at 10:14

So the solution i did, is to use the snippet code that @Gerrett Hall linked to. That snippet code check the active window before i run the command and save the name.

Then after a vile if the command have not returned check if the active window have changed. if it have, kill the process(Alt. send a return key global).

To get the info from the dialog i could use Ctrl + C to copy the content of the dialog and reading the paste buffer to copy the message in to the log. Have not figured out that part yet.

And yes this is a ugly hack but so is the legacy system to.

Detecting Graphical interface after calling Runtime.exec()

3 Answers3