Can you start a program in Notes and wait for it to finish?

Yes, you can use this LotusScript code to do so:

Public Type STARTUPINFO
  cb As Long
  lpReserved As String
  lpDesktop As String
  lpTitle As String
  dwX As Long
  dwY As Long
  dwXSize As Long
  dwYSize As Long
  dwXCountChars As Long
  dwYCountChars As Long
  dwFillAttribute As Long
  dwFlags As Long
  wShowWindow As Integer
  cbReserved2 As Integer
  lpReserved2 As Long
  hStdInput As Long
  hStdOutput As Long
  hStdError As Long
End Type

Public Type PROCESS_INFORMATION
  hProcess As Long
  hThread As Long
  dwProcessID As Long
  dwThreadID As Long
End Type

Declare Function WaitForSingleObject Lib "kernel32" (Byval _
  hHandle As Long, Byval dwMilliseconds As Long) As Long

Declare Function CreateProcessA Lib "kernel32" (Byval _
  lpApplicationName As Long, Byval lpCommandLine As String, Byval _
  lpProcessAttributes As Long, Byval lpThreadAttributes As Long, _
  Byval bInheritHandles As Long, Byval dwCreationFlags As Long, _
  Byval lpEnvironment As Long, Byval lpCurrentDirectory As Long, _
  lpStartupInfo As STARTUPINFO, lpProcessInformation As _
  PROCESS_INFORMATION) As Long

Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (Byval _
  hObject As Long) As Long

Public Const NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS = &H20&
Public Const INFINITE = -1&

Public Sub ShellAndWait(Byval RunProg As String)
  ' From Kevin Pauli (kcpauli@usa.net)
  Dim RetVal As Long
  Dim proc As PROCESS_INFORMATION
  Dim StartInf As STARTUPINFO
  StartInf.cb = Len(StartInf)
  'Execute the given path
  RetVal = CreateProcessA(0&, RunProg, 0&, 0&, 1&, _
  NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS, 0&, 0&, StartInf, proc)

  'Disable this app until the shelled one is done
  RetVal = WaitForSingleObject(proc.hProcess, INFINITE)
  RetVal = CloseHandle(proc.hProcess)
End Sub

However, note that it is only for Win32 systems. The concept would be the same for other operating systems.

Applies to Notes Versions: 4, 4.5, 4.6, 5