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Executing a Mac app (older one) from within Mathematica?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg24692] Executing a Mac app (older one) from within Mathematica?
• From: AES <siegman at stanford.edu>
• Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2000 01:19:16 -0400 (EDT)
• Organization: Stanford University
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

I have a home-brew Mac app from the 1991 era that I would like to drive 
from Mathematica -- that is, either have Mathematica open this app and 
start it executing, or have it already opened and then have Mathematica 
start it executing at a certain point in a Mathematica notebook, and 
also be able to sense when it's finished executing.

(The app can read and write HD data files, which I can provide or 
capture from Mathematica.)

The app is an oldie but goodie, originally programmed in Pascal, 
compiled for PPC, programmer (a grad student) is long gone.  I doubt 
that it is Apple Events or AppleScript aware -- at least that was never 
part of the original planning for the program itself.

I know Mathematica has something called MathLink, but before I start 
digging into the user manual from a cold start, could any kind Mathematica guru 
give me some general pointers as to whether what I want to do can be 
done, and in general how to set about doing it, and where to look for 
guidance?

Thanks much,   siegman at stanford.edu