How to shell to another app and have it appear in a Borland VCL form (c++)

Question

I'm actually in charge of a FIP networking c++ application, working for the first time with Embarcadero C++ Builder XE5. The app is nearly finished, but I can't find how to implement the last feature...

I wanted to open an external Windows HyperTerminal in order to see what happen on a given COM port, for this purpose I'm using ShellExecute() to launch it from my application but it's a bit ugly since there is 2 different windows.

I was wondering if it was possible to integrate this newly opened HyperTerminal into an existing form (Panel for instance). I couldn't find nothing related excepted this => Delphi style, but i don't understand a byte of @mghie answer since it's delphi.

If anyone have a clue I'm really interested, even the most basic clue!

Answer 1

For almost all of my projects where COM port interaction is needed I use AsyncPro. The project is very well documented with a ~1000 page reference manual.

Reference Manual

Developer's Guide

For this case, the package provides a VCL terminal that simply drops onto a form. It's quite flexible with a lot of options to configure its behaviour.

Answer 2

I wanted something similar in past but with no success.

1.The only thing I was able to do is the exact opposite.

• dock my VCL window inside another (not VCL app) but that solved my problems
• If you terminal is console window then I doubt even this can be done.
• anyway find handle of desired window
• find handle to a dockable subcomponent
• set the parent of your subwindow to it / or use manual dock

2.maybe you can do some funny stuff

• like hide terminal somewhere
• and continuoslly copy its graphics to your window
• newer done that hide thing
• but copy the contents is doable (although on windows a little unstable sometimes)
• done it once to feed my App with IR-camera feed from different App
• while 'focus' stays on hidden terminal it should work
• also you can try to post messages to it somehow if you need the focus ...

Sorry for a vague answer but at least you see some approaches of mine

• maybe someone has a better way to do this