Close running version of program before installing update (Inno Setup)

Question

This should be simple, I need to stop any previous version of my program from running when the installer starts.

Most people suggested making an exe wh

Answer 1

If the application has a Mutex, you can add an AppMutex value in your Inno Setup installer and it will display a message telling the user to stop the program. You might be able to find the Mutex (if it's got one) by using SysInternals Process Explorer and selecting the program / process and looking at the Handles (CTRL-H) in the Lower Pane.

Here's a link to the a KB article that mentions several methods:
http://www.vincenzo.net/isxkb/index.php?title=Detect_if_an_application_is_running

Alternatively, you might try this (UNTESTED) code in the InitializeSetup:

[Setup]
;If the application has  Mutex, uncomment the line below, comment the InitializeSetup function out, and use the AppMutex.
;AppMutex=MyApplicationMutex

[Code]
const
  WM_CLOSE = 16;

function InitializeSetup : Boolean;
var winHwnd: Longint;
    retVal : Boolean;
    strProg: string;
begin
  Result := True;
  try
    //Either use FindWindowByClassName. ClassName can be found with Spy++ included with Visual C++. 
    strProg := 'Notepad';
    winHwnd := FindWindowByClassName(strProg);
    //Or FindWindowByWindowName.  If using by Name, the name must be exact and is case sensitive.
    strProg := 'Untitled - Notepad';
    winHwnd := FindWindowByWindowName(strProg);
    Log('winHwnd: ' + IntToStr(winHwnd));
    if winHwnd <> 0 then
      Result := PostMessage(winHwnd,WM_CLOSE,0,0);
  except
  end;
end;