🚀 go-pugleaf

I'm fairly new to Windows programming. I picked up Windows SDK, VB and
Borland C++ 3.1 with the purchase of my home PC last spring.
Basically, all I've been using is BC++, and then only for compiling
straight C.  Realizing this is a waste, I've taken on some small
projects to initiate me in different aspects of Windows programming.

Project 1: Take an old DOS command-line based text filter and convert
           it to a small Windows tool.

[I don't like text entry using word processors; I like input power
through the likes of Emacs, Microemacs and now Microemacs for windows.
The text filter I'm talking about turns whatever I've input from your
typical text file full of hard returns, into flowable text with
command line options of leaving blank lines between paragraphs (or
deleting) and using one (or two) spaces after sentence ending periods.
The source for this filter is "portable" C.]

For conversion, I thought I'd try Visual Basic. (Turns out I kind of
like it, but that's another story.) The way I did it was to put in a
Drive box, Directory box, and File list box (using the standard
idioms) for selecting the input text file; two check boxes repre-
senting the command line options; and Run and Exit buttons. This
interface builds up the appropriate command line string and gives it
to Shell() when the user hits the Run button.  It works, but I don't
like the way the screen goes to DOS momentarily when the exe runs. I'd
rather it just ran in the background.

Question: Are there any good ways of avoiding this?

Since this is a project to learn more about Windows, solutions such as
changing the original C source and going with Windows SDK or BC++ over
VB are also welcome. But a VB interfacing with the original .exe type
solution is best, if possible, as that code already exists.

Thanks in advance.

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Tad Perry      Internet:    tvp@gibdo.engr.washington.edu
               CompuServe:  70402,3020
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