How to detach a QProcess?

[d_stranz]

I have created HTML help for my app (using the Helpinator product). I use this code to fir it off from a menu action:

void MainWindow::onHelpUserManual()
{
	QString	helpIndexUrl = QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath() + "/htmlhelp/index.html";
	int result = QProcess::execute( "cmd.exe", QStringList() << "/c" << helpIndexUrl );
	if ( result < 0 )
		QMessageBox::warning( this, "Command failed", "Could not open user manual.  Please open it using the Windows Start menu instead." );
}

void MainWindow::onHelpUserManual()
{
	QString	helpIndexUrl = QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath() + "/htmlhelp/index.html";
	int result = QProcess::execute( "cmd.exe", QStringList() << "/c" << helpIndexUrl );
	if ( result < 0 )
		QMessageBox::warning( this, "Command failed", "Could not open user manual.  Please open it using the Windows Start menu instead." );
}

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This works fine - if my browser (Firefox) is running, it opens a new tab and loads the help file into it. If it isn't running, it starts the browser and loads the help file.

The problem is this: In the first case (browser already running), the call to QProcess::execute() returns immediately. In the second case (browser not running), the execute call does not return and so the program is frozen until I exit the browser.

(Pause while I close the browser and test QProcess::startDetached())

startDetached() does not work either. Bizarre behavior - in a debug build, startDetached() will run up a command window, which then starts the browser. In a release build, startDetached() results in a quick flash of the command window, then nothing. Doesn't matter whether the browser is running or not.

How do I do this? I am at a loss to explain what I am observing.