ahkThread and ComObjCreate

[think]

In some cases when ahkThread containing ComObjCreate is run for the second time, ahkTerminate is having issues to terminate it. See the example below - if CreateItem is done in two lines it doesn't work. I know this would be solved by adding m:="""" to the end of the string to release the variable.

But I also see that I could solve it using dll1.ahkTerminate(-1) to force the termination. My question is how ahkTerminate works and is there any potential problem using dll1.ahkTerminate(-1) or dll1.ahkTerminate(-500) or even dll1.ahkTerminate(-0) instead of dll1.ahkTerminate(). What is the safest way to terminate potentially problematic script? Thanks.

Code: Select all

string:="
(
#Persistent
;Doesn't work
mx:=ComObjCreate(""Outlook.Application"")
m:=mx.CreateItem(0)
;This works
;m:=ComObjCreate(""Outlook.Application"").CreateItem(0) 

m.Body:=""My body ...""
m.Display
return
)"

dll1:=ahkThread(string)
msgbox Try second time...
dll1.ahkTerminate()
dll1:=ahkThread(string)
return

[HotKeyIt]

Download latest version, should work fine now

[think]

Thanks. What about the general usage of ahkTerminate? Is ahkTerminate(-1) ok?

[HotKeyIt]

Negative number will terminate thread if it cannot exit after given time, in that case the thread will not have a chance to clear memory and such.

[whynotregister]

This update causes an error related to com 0x800401E4.
It happens when combined with some code. I haven't been able to determine exactly under what circumstances it happens.

[HotKeyIt]

Can you please try again now

[whynotregister]

Can you please try again now

Update to c++ 14 and fix COM << The error only occurs in that version.

[HotKeyIt]

So the latest one produces the error as well?
In that case I will need example code.

[whynotregister]

error only occurs in the latest version.
I'll figure out the exact code causing the error and leave an answer.

[whynotregister]

sent you a message.

[think]

Negative number will terminate thread if it cannot exit after given time, in that case the thread will not have a chance to clear memory and such.

So if I understand correctly ahkTerminate(-100) waits 100ms before forcing the termination?
In case of, for example, ahkTerminate(200), what happens after 200ms?
And what's the default wait time of ahkTerminate()?
Any problem of forcing termination (not clearing the memory) in practice?

[HotKeyIt]

1. So if I understand correctly ahkTerminate(-100) waits 100ms before forcing the termination?
2. In case of, for example, ahkTerminate(200), what happens after 200ms?
3. And what's the default wait time of ahkTerminate()?
4. Any problem of forcing termination (not clearing the memory) in practice?

1. Yes, it also uses SMTO_NORMAL timeout instead of SMTO_NOTIMEOUTIFNOTHUNG to make sure that ahkTerminate succeeds.
2. If thread is hanging it will return after 200ms, otherwise it will wait due to SMTO_NOTIMEOUTIFNOTHUNG.
3. Wait forever
4. Depends what the thread does, beside not clearing memory it might not release objects (COM) and probably other problems.

[think]

Thanks. The only thing I’m still not sure I understand - what’s the difference between ahkTerminate(100) and ahk Terminate(-100)?

[HotKeyIt]

-100 will force terminatation.
100 will:
- wait for thread exit (if thread is not hung and cannot exit it will wait forever)
- return if thread exited
- return if thread is hung and cannot exit after 100ms