Programatically detect if a process is running in Batch or Interactive mode in the "C" language.

Question

Programatically detect if a process is running in Batch or Interactive mode in the "C" language.

Thad T 26

I'm seeking a way to detect whether a process is currently running in Batch or in interactive mode via "C" code. I would like the function to return a value that represents the current mode - 1 for Batch mode and 0 for Interactive mode. Please let me know if you can help me with this.

Thank you! If so, GREAT!!.

Thad Thorpe

RSVP

Oct 9th, 2023

David Lowndes 2,640 Reputation points MVP

2023-10-09T17:43:21.67+00:00

Can you clarify what you mean by "batch mode" and "interactive mode".
Thad T 26 Reputation points

2023-10-12T20:27:25.2466667+00:00

To: David Lowndes:

To understand these "Modes", please bear with me in how I define these Modes.

"Interactive Mode", I define as: You are running a program on your work PC now, and your "interactions" are required(E.g.:) by either actively debugging a program or even playing an "ADVENTURER" game. This "Interactive Mode" is live, is now and requires interactions by at least two parties; You and the PC. LIke right now, I'm trying to answer your question.

"Batch Mode", I define as: a delayed state of process, and no human interactions are required. From work experiences on a Vax/Vms system( it was a neat system), we would submit 'jobs' to be run at night, with no human interaction needed( I would call this Batch Mode). In other words, these were known as Batch jobs that ran at night( or I would call them behind the scenes processings) and could be released at a certain night time. The next morning, we would get the results from our batch job. Each individual batch job was a process of its own. On the Vax/Vms system, there were API's available you could use to indicate whether it was a Batch Job(Batch Mode) or not; plus it also provides you with some additional information, if you so desired it.

Mr. Lowndes, I hope you're able to understand what I'm asking for. I'm following back on past work experiences. Can you help me? But Thanks though.
David Lowndes 2,640 Reputation points MVP

2023-10-12T22:15:13.9633333+00:00

OK, so is your program a console program, or a GUI one?

Under Windows, how will you be running it in "batch mode"?

Assuming its a console program when in "batch mode", where does it get input from, and send its output to?

If its a console program and in "batch mode" you redirect the standard output to a file, you could use the _isatty function to detect the redirection. See the example with the _isatty documentation.
Thad T 26 Reputation points

2023-10-13T04:31:07.49+00:00
To: David Lowndes:

Any thing to do with the console/screen, mouse, or banging on the keyboard giving responses to the program; is considered "interactive mode".

A program that would normally be run in batch mode, can be run interactively. But you would have wait till the program gets done. Normally, batch programs that are run interactively takes a long time to run and finish. But it can be done, but your terminal/PC would be tied up until.

Batch mode is considered running behind the scenes; no one knows or sees it running. It is only known by a process number. that it runs under,

Programs the run is batch mode are all self-contained. They have their input, which the program requires, by reading an input file, until EOF has occurred. Either the output is either sent to an output file or is printed on paper. From past work experience on a vax/vms system, my former co-workers would submit a DCL command file that would contain the following information...

they would define the INPUT logical to the Inputfile that the program would read.

they would either define the OUTPUT logical to an output file where the output would go, OR that would just default the OUTPUT logical to the batch paper, and the program results/output would show up on paper.

Lastly, the complete program address, which the program to be run using the Inputfile as input to the program.

When the program ends, and there are no more issued commands with the DCL Command file, the batch process terminates.

Thank you,
RLWA32 49,536 Reputation points

2023-10-13T06:47:54.1166667+00:00

In a Windows environment one way to look at it is to classify any process that displays a user interface (gui or console) as "interactive" while a process that does not display a user interface is "batch".

Windows services and processes started by the task scheduler that are configured to run whether or not a user is logged on typically run in a non-interactive session and cannot display a user interface. It is not difficult to determine whether a process is running in Windows non-interactive session.

Now it gets a bit less clear.

Processes that start in a logged-on user's interactive session may display a user interface. The phrase "may display" is not the same as "must display." For example, Windows will not create any visible windows when a process created as a gui application starts. The application creates its own windows for interacting with the user. On the other hand, a process created as a console application will automatically get a console window provided by the system when it starts that it may use for command line input/output.

But a process may read and writes files without creating a user interface even though it was created as a gui application. Similarly, a console application may read and write files without doing any i/o to the console. The automatically created blank console window will appear on the screen and disappear when the process finishes. Now if you really want to muddy the waters consider that gui applications can also create console windows and console applications can also create gui windows.

In my opinion there is no "one size fits all" test to classify a Windows process between "interactive" and "batch" as you have described them.

Your answer

David Lowndes 2,640 Reputation points MVP

2023-10-09T17:43:21.67+00:00

Can you clarify what you mean by "batch mode" and "interactive mode".
Thad T 26 Reputation points

2023-10-12T20:27:25.2466667+00:00

To: David Lowndes:

To understand these "Modes", please bear with me in how I define these Modes.

"Interactive Mode", I define as: You are running a program on your work PC now, and your "interactions" are required(E.g.:) by either actively debugging a program or even playing an "ADVENTURER" game. This "Interactive Mode" is live, is now and requires interactions by at least two parties; You and the PC. LIke right now, I'm trying to answer your question.

"Batch Mode", I define as: a delayed state of process, and no human interactions are required. From work experiences on a Vax/Vms system( it was a neat system), we would submit 'jobs' to be run at night, with no human interaction needed( I would call this Batch Mode). In other words, these were known as Batch jobs that ran at night( or I would call them behind the scenes processings) and could be released at a certain night time. The next morning, we would get the results from our batch job. Each individual batch job was a process of its own. On the Vax/Vms system, there were API's available you could use to indicate whether it was a Batch Job(Batch Mode) or not; plus it also provides you with some additional information, if you so desired it.

Mr. Lowndes, I hope you're able to understand what I'm asking for. I'm following back on past work experiences. Can you help me? But Thanks though.
David Lowndes 2,640 Reputation points MVP

2023-10-12T22:15:13.9633333+00:00

OK, so is your program a console program, or a GUI one?

Under Windows, how will you be running it in "batch mode"?

Assuming its a console program when in "batch mode", where does it get input from, and send its output to?

If its a console program and in "batch mode" you redirect the standard output to a file, you could use the _isatty function to detect the redirection. See the example with the _isatty documentation.
Thad T 26 Reputation points

2023-10-13T04:31:07.49+00:00

To: David Lowndes:

Any thing to do with the console/screen, mouse, or banging on the keyboard giving responses to the program; is considered "interactive mode".

A program that would normally be run in batch mode, can be run interactively. But you would have wait till the program gets done. Normally, batch programs that are run interactively takes a long time to run and finish. But it can be done, but your terminal/PC would be tied up until.

Batch mode is considered running behind the scenes; no one knows or sees it running. It is only known by a process number. that it runs under,

Programs the run is batch mode are all self-contained. They have their input, which the program requires, by reading an input file, until EOF has occurred. Either the output is either sent to an output file or is printed on paper. From past work experience on a vax/vms system, my former co-workers would submit a DCL command file that would contain the following information...

they would define the INPUT logical to the Inputfile that the program would read.

they would either define the OUTPUT logical to an output file where the output would go, OR that would just default the OUTPUT logical to the batch paper, and the program results/output would show up on paper.

Lastly, the complete program address, which the program to be run using the Inputfile as input to the program.

When the program ends, and there are no more issued commands with the DCL Command file, the batch process terminates.

Thank you,
RLWA32 49,536 Reputation points

2023-10-13T06:47:54.1166667+00:00

In a Windows environment one way to look at it is to classify any process that displays a user interface (gui or console) as "interactive" while a process that does not display a user interface is "batch".

Windows services and processes started by the task scheduler that are configured to run whether or not a user is logged on typically run in a non-interactive session and cannot display a user interface. It is not difficult to determine whether a process is running in Windows non-interactive session.

Now it gets a bit less clear.

Processes that start in a logged-on user's interactive session may display a user interface. The phrase "may display" is not the same as "must display." For example, Windows will not create any visible windows when a process created as a gui application starts. The application creates its own windows for interacting with the user. On the other hand, a process created as a console application will automatically get a console window provided by the system when it starts that it may use for command line input/output.

But a process may read and writes files without creating a user interface even though it was created as a gui application. Similarly, a console application may read and write files without doing any i/o to the console. The automatically created blank console window will appear on the screen and disappear when the process finishes. Now if you really want to muddy the waters consider that gui applications can also create console windows and console applications can also create gui windows.

In my opinion there is no "one size fits all" test to classify a Windows process between "interactive" and "batch" as you have described them.

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Programatically detect if a process is running in Batch or Interactive mode in the "C" language.

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