[fpc-pascal] Win32 DOS programming - best practices?

[testing@ameritech.net]

Hi,

I´m working on an FPC Non-gui program that will need to do some dedicated
things on 98 and XP machines, (and eventually *nix), such as test for
running Apps, kill Apps or running services, and some web activity
eventually, (which appears may become a concern with certain FPC/DOS
programming working together), launch apps and possibly monitor app progress
on rare occasion.

I´m concerned to stay away from a lot of shell call activity just for
the concern of not having good error control and progress activity to
confirm actions, unless there are good methods to be able to return
and pass error activity on Shell commands?  (haven't done much of it)

I´m seeing some 3rd party contributed interfaces and libraries listed
on the fpc site, but essentially I´m wondering the best course to
cover these kinds of interoperability assuming the more I do it the
more of I'll end up with more of it to do.

So my question is what practices will be best in this approach?

StdCall´s  and just get used to operating in the Win32API from my program?

Specific libs or wrappers that cover the majority already? (not
reinventing the wheel)

Design the various needs into a helper App/dll?

Combination of all, depending on tasks/needs/simplicity?



Thanks much in advance for any suggestions and the progress FPC is
making.

Mike