When you EXEC a batch file, a DOS command window is opened and is either fully visible or will be relegated to the task bar. In either case the effect detracts from the quality of your presentation. RUNHIDE fixes this cosmetic problem by hiding the window of the program you are launching.

usage: runhide.exe program

This actionScript command fscommand("EXEC", "runhide.exe" + chr(9) + "hideme.bat"); will launch hideme.bat but the normal DOS window will be hidden from view. The BAT file may open other windows and they will appear normally.

• If you use the old Flash trick of using tabs in place of spaces to pass parameters to program, RUNHIDE may not work properly. It depends on whether the application being launched can handle tabs on its command line. This SHOULD work okay with BAT files, but EXE files have to be tested on a case by case basis.
  
  
• Flash MX does not allow spaces or tabs in the argument to the EXEC command. This means that the RUNHIDE utility can't be called directly from Flash MX to pass parameters to the program. You would have to create an EXE wrapper to launch hidden windows in Flash MX.
  
  
• In a batch file the you can pass whatever you need on the command line for program which provides a workaround for Flash 5 limitations.
  
  
• If you're working with SWF Studio you can use spaces and pass parameters to program but it's easier just to use the RUN and RUNMODE actionScript fscommands to accomplish the same task.