Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!ox.com!math.fu-berlin.de!unido!rwthinf!slcdec!hippo!f1.n6000.z2.fidonet.org!f6.n3601.z1.fidonet.org!James_Bell
From: James_Bell@f6.n3601.z1.fidonet.org (James Bell)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms.programmer
Subject: Re: comp.windows.ms
Message-ID: <funpack112364@f1.n6000.z2.fidonet.org>
Date: 9 May 91 19:42:01 GMT
Reply-To: James_Bell%f6.n3601.z1@hippo.dfv.rwth-aachen.de (James Bell)
Organization: Bo knows Windows?  0ubliette BBS - HST/DS -
Lines: 9
Comment-To: Bengt_A._Palsson@f1.n6000.z2.fidonet.org (Bengt A. Palsson)

>  I have applications X, Y and Z. X is currently running
>  and wants Y or Z to start running, perform a task and then
>  end.

Could you just use WinExec() to start the task, then do a 
SendMessage(hwndDyingTask, WM_CLOSE, NULL, NULL); ?
Hope that helps!
JB