compiling error

[25jenny]

Hi,

My name is jenny :)

A friend gave me this file to compile.
My goal is to open 4 browser windows and then close them via "end task" with a

delay between them.

When I try to compile it (dev-C++) I'm getting this error message, How can I

solve it?

-------
68: Invalid conversion from 'const char*' to 'CHAR*'
-------

Source file:
---------------------------

Code:

#include <windows.h> #include <winbase.h> /* times in miliseconds */ #define INTERMEDIATE_DELAY 2000 #define FINAL_DELAY 15000 /* erm, duh */ #define NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES 4 /* yes yes, a dreaded global variable - speed vs size tradeoff, who needs to initialize 68 bytes with code inside main when we've got .data for it? ;) Besides, a smart compiler will optimize it into .bss anyway */ STARTUPINFO startupInfo = { sizeof(STARTUPINFO), NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL }; /* const to let the system know it can page out without hassle if needed, amounts to discardable memory */ const char* cmdLines[] = { "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe http://www.site1.com";, "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe http://www.site2.com";, "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe http://www.site3.com";, "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe http://www.site4.com"; }; int main() { unsigned int i; HANDLE hProcesses[NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES]; PROCESS_INFORMATION procInfo; /* add some time verification, etc here (suggest using GetLocalTime() and checking against the desired stop time, or GetTickCount() and compare a subtraction if it's just a relative time instead of absolute hh:mm) */ for(;;) { /* infinite cycle doing the whole thing */ for (i=0;i<NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES;i++) { /* cycle creating the NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES processes */ if (!CreateProcess(NULL, cmdLines[i], NULL, NULL, FALSE, 0, NULL, NULL, &startupInfo, &procInfo)) { /* couldn't run */ /* add code to print an error out based on GetLastError() here, I'm lazy ;) - suggest using FormatMessage() */ return 2; } CloseHandle(procInfo.hThread); /* don't need this */ hProcesses[i]=procInfo.hProcess; Sleep(INTERMEDIATE_DELAY); } /* final delay */ Sleep(FINAL_DELAY - INTERMEDIATE_DELAY); /* _kill_ all processes */ for (i=0;i<NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES;i++) { TerminateProcess(hProcesses[i],0); /* die, you #$%@! */ CloseHandle(hProcesses[i]); } } /* won't ever reach this as it is, it's here for when we actually implement a stopping condition for the big for */ return 0; }

------------------


I'd also like to run it for a period of time...
I wonder if someone can complete and test my program.

Thanks,
Jenny

(I don't understand anything about programming)

[dinangkur]

Hi I just looked in your code and I've found 13 errors in it. So, according to you information, that "const" is just another code among those 13. By the way, I fix it and it's going to work now. If you want implement the second part - why don't you exercise a bit about it? Bring some code, then I will look into it. Enjoy.
I tested this code in VC++ 6 in console mode application.

Have fun.

-DK.

Code:

#include <windows.h> #include <winbase.h> /* times in miliseconds */ #define INTERMEDIATE_DELAY 2000 #define FINAL_DELAY 15000 /* erm, duh */ #define NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES 4 /* yes yes, a dreaded global variable - speed vs size tradeoff, who needs to initialize 68 bytes with code inside main when we've got .data for it? ;) Besides, a smart compiler will optimize it into .bss anyway */ STARTUPINFO startupInfo = { sizeof(STARTUPINFO), NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL }; /* const to let the system know it can page out without hassle if needed, amounts to discardable memory */ char* cmdLines[] = { "C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe http://www.site1.com", "C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe http://www.site2.com", "C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe http://www.site3.com", "C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe http://www.site4.com", }; int main() { unsigned int i; HANDLE hProcesses[NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES]; PROCESS_INFORMATION procInfo; /* add some time verification, etc here (suggest using GetLocalTime() and checking against the desired stop time, or GetTickCount() and compare a subtraction if it's just a relative time instead of absolute hh:mm) */ for(;;) { /* infinite cycle doing the whole thing */ for (i=0;i<NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES;i++) { /* cycle creating the NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES processes */ if (!CreateProcess(NULL, cmdLines[i], NULL, NULL, FALSE, 0, NULL, NULL, &startupInfo, &procInfo)) { /* couldn't run */ /* add code to print an error out based on GetLastError() here, I'm lazy ;) - suggest using FormatMessage() */ return 2; } CloseHandle(procInfo.hThread); /* don't need this */ hProcesses[i]=procInfo.hProcess; Sleep(INTERMEDIATE_DELAY); } /* final delay */ Sleep(FINAL_DELAY - INTERMEDIATE_DELAY); /* _kill_ all processes */ for (i=0;i<NUMBER_OF_PROCESSES;i++) { TerminateProcess(hProcesses[i], 0); /* die, you #$%@! */ CloseHandle(hProcesses[i]); } } /* won't ever reach this as it is, it's here for when we actually implement a stopping condition for the big for */ return 0; }

_________________
...we too are stardust...