Re: Open existing instance of app from Emacs lisp?

[B. T. Raven]

David Wolff wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I used "w32-shell-execute" to open apps, documents, and folders in a
> very nice little menu, eg:
>
>      (w32-shell-execute "open" "C:/WINDOWS/System32/calc.exe")
>
> Then I discovered that, for applications, this always opens a new
> instance instead of switching to an existing copy.  Just what I need, 14
> copies of Calculator running.  :-)
>
> So okay, I can use w32-window-exists-p to see if the app is already
> running.  Now is there a way to activate the app from lisp?
>
> Thanks --
>
> David
>
> (Remove "xx" to reply.)

Apparently someone called XSteve (an Austrian??) has put together 
"sww.exe" and sww.el that will do what you want. Google on these. I 
wasn't able to try them because I am missing mfc71.dll and I don't know 
where to download it safely. If you have this dll you will probably be 
able to switch between windows apps from within Emacs. The closest I can 
get to what you want is:

(if (not (w32-window-exists-p nil "Calculator"))

  (w32-shell-execute "open" "C:/Winnt/System32/calc.exe"))

and then use Alt-Tab to bring up calculator.

By the way, the calc programs (simple and programmable) embedded within 
Emacs are far superior to the msw Calculator program.

Ed