st: -winexec- and log files

["Zurab Sajaia" <zsajaia@hotmail.com>]

Hi All,

I noticed strange behavior of Stata while using -winexec- and was wondering 
whether anyone has an explanation (including the one that nothing is strange 
here):

. log using c:\ttt, replace
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      log:  c:\ttt.smcl
 log type:  smcl
opened on:   6 Dec 2006, 18:48:11

. winexec notepad

. log close
      log:  c:\ttt.smcl
 log type:  smcl
closed on:   6 Dec 2006, 18:48:15
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. log using c:\ttt, replace
file c:\ttt.smcl cannot be modified or erased; likely cause is read-only 
directory or file
r(608);

so if -winexec- was called while log was on, the log file stays locked until 
the program that -winexec- called is not terminated. Once you close that 
window (notepad in our case) log file becomes writeable.  And log file 
remains locked even if you exit the Stata.

Any thoughts?
Zurab

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