NAME

Mac::Apps::Launch - MacPerl module to launch applications

SYNOPSIS

use Mac::Apps::Launch;
my @apps = qw(R*ch Arch MPGP);
my $path = "HD:System Folder:Finder";
LaunchApps([@apps], 1) or warn $^E; # launch and switch to front
LaunchApps([@apps])    or warn $^E; # launch and don't switch 
LaunchApps($app, 1)    or warn $^E; # launch and switch to front
LaunchSpecs($path, 1)  or warn $^E; # use path instead of app ID
QuitApps(@apps)        or warn $^E; # quit all @apps
QuitAllApps(@apps)     or warn $^E; # quit all except @apps
IsRunning('MACS');                  # returns boolean for whether
                                    # given app ID is running
SetFront('MACS')       or warn $^E; # set Finder to front
Hide('MACS')           or warn $^E; # hide Finder
Show('Finder', 1)      or warn $^E; # show Finder (1 == use name)

DESCRIPTION

Simply launch or quit applications by their creator ID. The Finder can be quit in this way, though it cannot be launched in this way.

This module is used by many other modules.

This module as written does not work with MacPerls prior to 5.1.4r4.

EXPORT

Exports functions QuitApps, QuitAllApps, and LaunchApps, IsRunning, LaunchSpecs, SetFront, Hide, Show.

HISTORY

v.1.70, June 4, 1999

Cleaned up stuff. Added SetFront, Show, Hide. Fixed setting of $^E. Improved QuitAllApps to not quit only normal apps by checking processType for "APPL".

v.1.60, September 28, 1998

Added LaunchSpecs. Use this when the app does not have a unique app ID, the app is not really an app (like the Finder), or you have more than one instance of the app, and want to launch a particular one.

v.1.50, September 16, 1998

Added IsRunning.

v.1.40, August 3, 1998

Only launches application if not already open; e.g., won't launch newer version it finds if older version is open.

v.1.31, May 18, 1998

Added AEDisposeDesc call (D'oh!). Dunno why I forgot this.

v.1.3, January 3, 1998

General cleanup, rewrite of method implementation, no longer support versions prior to 5.1.4r4, addition of Quit methods, methods return undef on failure (most recent error in $^E, but could be multiple errors; oh well).

AUTHOR

Chris Nandor <pudge@pobox.com>, http://pudge.net/

Copyright (c) 1999 Chris Nandor. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the Artistic License, distributed with Perl.

VERSION

Version 1.70 (June 4, 1999)