Running batch files from Java using exec method

Question

Hi,
I want to run a batch file from my Java program like this:
try {
Process proc = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("C:\\Refresh.bat");
catch (Exception e) {
MessageBox.show(e.getMessage());
Refresh.bat file contains two commands.
First one unzips certain zip file.
Second one refreshes a SQL Server database using osql utility.
Problem is that when program is run it executes only the first command and hangs on the second one.
Please help.
TIA
Ravinder

Answer 1

From the FAQ:
2. How do you launch an external program on a Microsoft Windows platform from a program developed on the Java [tm] programming language?
The following will launch notepad in Microsoft Windows NT:
Runtime.getRuntime().exec("cmd /c notepad.exe");
To launch a program in Microsoft Windows 95/98 use:
Runtime.getRuntime().exec("c:\\windows\\notepad.exe");
The Runtime class allows interaction between a program and its environment. The first string command instructs the command line interpretor, cmd to open up the calculator application.
The exec() methods do not use a shell; any arguments must have the full pathname to the shell as well as the command itself.
For example, to run a shell on the UNIX� platform, type:
Runtime rt = Runtime.getRuntime();
Process p = rt.exec("/usr/bin/sh -c date");
To run a batch file under Microsoft Windows 95/98:
Process p = rt.exec("command.com /c c:\\mydir\\myfile.bat");
To run a batch file under Microsoft Windows NT:
Process p = rt.exec("cmd /c c:\\mydir\\myfile.bat");
where 'cmd' and 'command.com' are the command-line interpreters for Microsoft Windows machines.
The Runtime.exec() methods might not work effectively for some processes on certain platforms. Special care should be taken with native windowing, daemon, WIN16/DOS process or some shell scripts.
regards,
jarshe