<doc>
	<legacy_id>1946</legacy_id>
	<name>launch</name>
	<type>command</type>

	<syntax>
		<example>launch [<i>documentPath</i> with] <i>applicationPath</i></example>
	</syntax>

	<synonyms>
	</synonyms>

	<summary>Starts up an application, optionally opening a document in the application.</summary>

	<examples>
<example>launch "SimpleText"</example>
<example>launch "/Documents/Projects/test.txt" with myApp</example>
<example><p>launch it with (field "Application")</p></example>
	</examples>

	<history>
		<introduced version="1.0">Added.</introduced>
		<deprecated version=""></deprecated>
		<removed version=""></removed>
		<changed version="1.1.1">1.1.1</changed>
		<experimental version=""></experimental>
		<nonexperimental version=""></nonexperimental>
	</history>

	<objects>
	</objects>

	<platforms>
		<mac/>
		<windows/>
		<linux/>
	</platforms>

	<classes>
		<desktop/>
		<server/>
		<web/>
	</classes>

	<security>
		<process/>
	</security>


	<classification>
		<category>The System Environment</category>
	</classification>

	<references>
		<function tag="shell">shell Function</function>
		<command tag="kill">kill Command</command>
		<command tag="launch document">launch document Command</command>
		<command tag="launch url">launch url Command</command>
		<property tag="hideConsoleWindows">hideConsoleWindows Property</property>
		<property tag="secureMode">secureMode Property</property>
	</references>

	<description>
	<overview>Use the <b>launch</b> <glossary tag="command">command</glossary> to start an application for the user to use.</overview>

		<parameters>
  <parameter>
    <name>documentPath</name>
    <description>The location and name of a file to open with the specified application. If no path is specified, the launch command assumes that the file is in the defaultFolder.</description>
  </parameter>
  <parameter>
    <name>applicationPath</name>
    <description>The location and name of the application to start up. If no path is specified, the launch command assumes that the application is in the defaultFolder.</description>
  </parameter>		</parameters>

	<value></value>
	<comments>When the <b>launch</b> command executes, the application being launched comes to the foreground. When the user quits, LiveCode comes to the foreground.<p></p><p></p><note> On Mac OS systems, if the application is already running, the <b>launch</b> command does nothing, and "Process is already open." is placed in the result function. On Windows and Linux, an additional instance of the application will start.</note><p></p><p>If no <i>documentPath</i> is specified, the following two statements are equivalent:</p><p></p><p>launch <i>application</i></p><p>open process <i>application</i> for neither</p><p></p><p></p><note> On OS X systems, you can use the <b>launch</b> command to start up an application, but not a Unix process. To work with a Unix process, use the shell function instead.</note><p></p><p></p><tip> On Windows systems, you can also start up an application by using the shell function with the Windows "start" command:</tip><p></p><p>get shell("start MyProgram.exe")</p></comments>
	</description>
</doc>