How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

**Trevor Best** · Nov 12 '05, 02:04 PM

Re: How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

On 04 Sep 2003 04:42:27 GMT in comp.databases. ms-access, Greg Fierro
<gfierro@softwe rksdev.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I would appreciate any help from anyone with the following:
>
>I have an external program (window32 based) that I am executing with the
>VBA SHELL command. This program produces a text file which I have to
>read after the external program finishes. I use the transfertext method
>to read the file.
>
>The problem is that the SHELL command executes external programs in an
>asynch way. In other words, the VBA code will continue running and NOT
>wait for the external program to finish.
>
>I need to run this external program and HALT my VBA code until the
>external program terminates. Is there any code out there or methods I
>can use to do this??
>
>Any help is greatly appreciated![/color]

The code below will do it.

Disclaimer: I didn't write this code, I don't know where it came from
as the original author didn't comment it and credit him/herself and
I'm not taking credit for it.

--- code start ---
Option Compare Database
Option Explicit

Private Const STARTF_USESHOWW INDOW& = &H1
Private Const NORMAL_PRIORITY _CLASS = &H20
Private Const INFINITE = -1&

Private 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

Private Type PROCESS_INFORMA TION
hProcess As Long
hThread As Long
dwProcessID As Long
dwThreadId As Long
End Type
'
Private Declare Function WaitForSingleOb ject Lib "kernel32" (ByVal _
hHandle As Long, ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function CreateProcessA Lib "kernel32" (ByVal _
lpApplicationNa me As Long, ByVal lpCommandLine As String, ByVal _
lpProcessAttrib utes As Long, ByVal lpThreadAttribu tes As Long, _
ByVal bInheritHandles As Long, ByVal dwCreationFlags As Long, _
ByVal lpEnvironment As Long, ByVal lpCurrentDirect ory As Long, _
lpStartupInfo As STARTUPINFO, lpProcessInform ation As _
PROCESS_INFORMA TION) As Long

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

Public Sub ShellWait(Pathn ame As String, Optional WindowStyle As Long)
Dim proc As PROCESS_INFORMA TION
Dim start As STARTUPINFO
Dim RET As Long
' Initialize the STARTUPINFO structure:
With start
.cb = Len(start)
If Not IsMissing(Windo wStyle) Then
.dwFlags = STARTF_USESHOWW INDOW
.wShowWindow = WindowStyle
End If
End With
' Start the shelled application:
RET& = CreateProcessA( 0&, Pathname, 0&, 0&, 1&, _
NORMAL_PRIORITY _CLASS, 0&, 0&, start, proc)
' Wait for the shelled application to finish:
RET& = WaitForSingleOb ject(proc.hProc ess, INFINITE)
RET& = CloseHandle(pro c.hProcess)
End Sub
--- code ends ---
--
A)bort, R)etry, I)nfluence with large hammer.

(replace sithlord with trevor for email)

**Terry Kreft** · Nov 12 '05, 02:04 PM

Re: How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

API: Shell and Wait

http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0004.htm

Terry

"Trevor Best" <bouncer@localh ost> wrote in message
news:gfpdlv4up3 qa1g79shd9i1pcg oilo8lvbv@4ax.c om...[color=blue]
> On 04 Sep 2003 04:42:27 GMT in comp.databases. ms-access, Greg Fierro
> <gfierro@softwe rksdev.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >I would appreciate any help from anyone with the following:
> >
> >I have an external program (window32 based) that I am executing with the
> >VBA SHELL command. This program produces a text file which I have to
> >read after the external program finishes. I use the transfertext method
> >to read the file.
> >
> >The problem is that the SHELL command executes external programs in an
> >asynch way. In other words, the VBA code will continue running and NOT
> >wait for the external program to finish.
> >
> >I need to run this external program and HALT my VBA code until the
> >external program terminates. Is there any code out there or methods I
> >can use to do this??
> >
> >Any help is greatly appreciated![/color]
>
> The code below will do it.
>
> Disclaimer: I didn't write this code, I don't know where it came from
> as the original author didn't comment it and credit him/herself and
> I'm not taking credit for it.
>
> --- code start ---
> Option Compare Database
> Option Explicit
>
> Private Const STARTF_USESHOWW INDOW& = &H1
> Private Const NORMAL_PRIORITY _CLASS = &H20
> Private Const INFINITE = -1&
>
> Private 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
>
> Private Type PROCESS_INFORMA TION
> hProcess As Long
> hThread As Long
> dwProcessID As Long
> dwThreadId As Long
> End Type
> '
> Private Declare Function WaitForSingleOb ject Lib "kernel32" (ByVal _
> hHandle As Long, ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long) As Long
>
> Private Declare Function CreateProcessA Lib "kernel32" (ByVal _
> lpApplicationNa me As Long, ByVal lpCommandLine As String, ByVal _
> lpProcessAttrib utes As Long, ByVal lpThreadAttribu tes As Long, _
> ByVal bInheritHandles As Long, ByVal dwCreationFlags As Long, _
> ByVal lpEnvironment As Long, ByVal lpCurrentDirect ory As Long, _
> lpStartupInfo As STARTUPINFO, lpProcessInform ation As _
> PROCESS_INFORMA TION) As Long
>
> Private Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (ByVal _
> hObject As Long) As Long
>
> Public Sub ShellWait(Pathn ame As String, Optional WindowStyle As Long)
> Dim proc As PROCESS_INFORMA TION
> Dim start As STARTUPINFO
> Dim RET As Long
> ' Initialize the STARTUPINFO structure:
> With start
> .cb = Len(start)
> If Not IsMissing(Windo wStyle) Then
> .dwFlags = STARTF_USESHOWW INDOW
> .wShowWindow = WindowStyle
> End If
> End With
> ' Start the shelled application:
> RET& = CreateProcessA( 0&, Pathname, 0&, 0&, 1&, _
> NORMAL_PRIORITY _CLASS, 0&, 0&, start, proc)
> ' Wait for the shelled application to finish:
> RET& = WaitForSingleOb ject(proc.hProc ess, INFINITE)
> RET& = CloseHandle(pro c.hProcess)
> End Sub
> --- code ends ---
> --
> A)bort, R)etry, I)nfluence with large hammer.
>
> (replace sithlord with trevor for email)[/color]

**Trevor Best** · Nov 12 '05, 02:06 PM

Re: How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

On Thu, 4 Sep 2003 11:19:33 +0100 in comp.databases. ms-access, "Terry
Kreft" <terry.kreft@mp s.co.uk> wrote:
[color=blue]
>http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0004.htm
>
>Terry[/color]

Thanks Terry, I'm going to issue a memo to my programmers that any
code they cut and paste from the web should retain the original
comments including the author's name. You'll be glad to know I use
your "select folder" code a lot and that still has your name on it.
The reason I made that disclaimer in my followup was because I
suspected it came from *somewhere* and last time I posted code like
that I was accused of taking credit for someone else's work even
though anyone who knows my programming style could tell I didn't write
it.

--
A)bort, R)etry, I)nfluence with large hammer.

(replace sithlord with trevor for email)

**Greg Fierro** · Nov 12 '05, 02:06 PM

Re: How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

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**Greg Fierro** · Nov 12 '05, 02:06 PM

Re: How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

Thanks Trevor and Terry for your answers to my problem. I have enought
to solve my problem!

Thanks Again!!
Greg Fierro

*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***
Don't just participate in USENET...get rewarded for it!

**Terry Kreft** · Nov 12 '05, 02:07 PM

Re: How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

Trevor,
I wasn't being picky, just thought I'd answer the question about where it
came from.

Personally, I think most code that people write is bound to be influenced by
code they've seen, that's after all one of the best ways to learn, reading
and writing code.

I must admit though I always try to keep the original authors name in the
code, notably I have a number of routines from Stephen Lebans which I use,
they all keep the copyright and disclaimers through into my code ( that way
I can always blame him if it doesn't work <g>).

Terry

"Trevor Best" <bouncer@localh ost> wrote in message
news:th0flv4uj8 uasmrh7nrp5md3m rgfm9ffps@4ax.c om...[color=blue]
> On Thu, 4 Sep 2003 11:19:33 +0100 in comp.databases. ms-access, "Terry
> Kreft" <terry.kreft@mp s.co.uk> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0004.htm
> >
> >Terry[/color]
>
> Thanks Terry, I'm going to issue a memo to my programmers that any
> code they cut and paste from the web should retain the original
> comments including the author's name. You'll be glad to know I use
> your "select folder" code a lot and that still has your name on it.
> The reason I made that disclaimer in my followup was because I
> suspected it came from *somewhere* and last time I posted code like
> that I was accused of taking credit for someone else's work even
> though anyone who knows my programming style could tell I didn't write
> it.
>
> --
> A)bort, R)etry, I)nfluence with large hammer.
>
> (replace sithlord with trevor for email)[/color]

**David W. Fenton** · Nov 12 '05, 02:07 PM

Re: How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

terry.kreft@mps .co.uk (Terry Kreft) wrote in
<bj9l1u$44j$1@n ewsreaderg1.cor e.theplanet.net >:
[color=blue]
>I must admit though I always try to keep the original authors name
>in the code, notably I have a number of routines from Stephen
>Lebans which I use, they all keep the copyright and disclaimers
>through into my code ( that way I can always blame him if it
>doesn't work <g>).[/color]

I also include the URL where I got it, where applicable.

--
David W. Fenton http://www.bway.net/~dfenton
dfenton at bway dot net http://www.bway.net/~dfassoc

**Trevor Best** · Nov 12 '05, 02:08 PM

Re: How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

On Fri, 5 Sep 2003 10:32:53 +0100 in comp.databases. ms-access, "Terry
Kreft" <terry.kreft@mp s.co.uk> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Trevor,
>I wasn't being picky[/color]

I didn't take it as such :-)

--
A)bort, R)etry, I)nfluence with large hammer.

(replace sithlord with trevor for email)

How to execute an external program and halting VBA code till external program finishes

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