Method to run bat file as a separate thread

[Westy]

On a test server, after running a method that exports data from our Servoy solution to Acrobat form data format (FDF) files, we call a Windows bat file that:

Creates a PDF file populated with data for each FDF file
Combines resulting PDF files into one PDF file
Creates Bookmarks in the resulting PDF file for each page in the file
Zips the resulting file

A method within Servoy then e-mails the zipped file to our user. It all works great except that the process takes a long time when there are a large number of PDF files (ie. 500 files).

We call the bat file using:

application.executeProgramInBackground('rundll32', 'url.dll,FileProtocolHandler', path + 'Convert.bat');

The bat file opens the console and executes perfectly every time. However, we are not able to call the bat file again to process another job until the first process is completed. How can we call the bat file from within Servoy so that it will run in a separate thread each time it is called? We are running 2003 Server.

Is there a maximum recommended time for an external process to run on a server? The described process can take over a minute, which seems dangerous.

Dean Westover
Choices Software, Inc.

[IT2Be]

If I am not mistaken you don't run the bat file in Java but from/in your system.
I am no that familiar with Windows but I don't think you can run more than one instance of a bat file.

[Harjo]

Westy, I think this can be perfectly done with Servoy (and 3th party plugins, pdf Pro plugin, It2be tools plugin, for zip etc.. etc.)
than you have total control about the process.

just a thought.....

[Westy]

Thank you for your comments. Because of the time required to run the described process it looks like we are going to move it from the server to the client.

Dean