def METHOD_NAME(self, autoExit=False):
    """
    Check if the current application is already running
    Args:
        autoExit (bool): automatically call sys.exit if there is an other
                         instance running
    Returns:
        bool: ``True`` if this is the only application instance
    """
    # check if the pidfile exists
    if not os.path.isfile(self.pidFile):
        return True
    self.pid, self.procname = self.readPidFile()
    # check if the process with specified by pid exists
    if 0 == self.pid:
        return True
    if not tools.processAlive(self.pid):
        return True
    # check if the process has the same procname
    # check cmdline for backwards compatibility
    if self.procname and                                    \
       self.procname != tools.processName(self.pid) and    \
       self.procname != tools.processCmdline(self.pid):
        return True
    if autoExit:
        # exit the application
        print("The application is already running !")
        # exit raise an exception so don't put it in a try/except block
        exit(0)
    return False