Microsoft KB Archive/119513

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How to Call the ShellExecute Windows API in a WordBasic Macro

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Q119513

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

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SUMMARY
You can call the ShellExecute Windows API function from a WordBasic macro to start another program under Microsoft Windows. Use ShellExecute instead of Shell (a WordBasic statement) or WinExec (a Windows API function) to work around the following limitation of the latter commands:


 * With Shell and WinExec, you cannot both start an application and open a file in that application. For example, you cannot both start Microsoft Excel and open a worksheet.

WARNING: ANY USE BY YOU OF THE CODE PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Microsoft provides this macro code "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.

Below is a sample WordBasic macro that calls the ShellExecute Windows API function. ShellExecute determines whether Microsoft Excel is already running; if so, it loads BOOK1.XLS into the current Microsoft Excel session. If Microsoft Excel is not already running, ShellExecute starts Microsoft Excel and loads BOOK1.XLS.

  Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "Shell"(hWnd As Integer, lpszOp   As String, lpszFile As String, lpszParams As String, lpszDir As   String, fsShowCmd As Integer) As Integer

Declare Function FindWindow Lib "User"(lpClassName$, lpWindowName As  Long) As Integer

Sub MAIN Rem The FindWindow API function returns the Window handle for Word. hWnd = FindWindow("OPUSAPP", 0)

X = ShellExecute(hWnd, "Open", "c:\excel\book1.XLS", "", "", 1) End Sub

MORE INFORMATION
The ShellExecute function opens or prints the specified file. Below is information about ShellExecute from pages 901-904 of the Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) "Programmer's Reference, Volume 2: Functions."

Parameter           Description --

hwnd                Identifies the parent window.

lpszOp              A string specifying the operation to perform. This string can be "open" or "print".

lpszFile            Points to a string specifying the file to open.

lpszParams          Points to a string specifying parameters passed to the application when the lpszFile parameter specifies an                    executable file. If lpszFile points to a string specifying a document file, this parameter is NULL.

lpszDir             Points to a string specifying the default directory.

fsShowCmd           Specifies whether the application window is to be                     shown when the application is opened. This parameter can be one of the following values:

Value         Meaning --

0             Hides the window and passes activation to another window.

6             Minimizes the specified window and activates the top-level window in the system's list.

9             Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized or maximized, Windows restores it to its original size and position (same as 1).

5             Activates a window and displays it in its current size and position.

3             Activates a window and displays it as a maximized window.

2             Activates a window and displays it as an icon.

7             Displays a window as an icon. The window that is currently active remains active.

8             Displays a window in its current state. The window that is              currently active remains active.

4             Displays a window in its most recent size and position. The window that is currently active remains active.

1             Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized or maximized, Windows restores it to its original size and position (same as 9).

Returns
The return value is the instance handle of the application that was opened or printed, if the function is successful. (This handle could also be the handle of a DDE server application.) A return value less than or equal to 32 specifies an error.

Errors
The ShellExecute function returns the value 31 if there is no association for the specified file type or if there is no association for the specified action within the file type. The other possible error values are as follows:

Value         Meaning ---

0            System was out of memory, executable file was corrupt, or               relocations were invalid.

2            File was not found.

3            Path was not found.

5            Attempt was made to dynamically link to a task, or there was a sharing or network-protection error.

6            Library required separate data segments for each task.

8            There was insufficient memory to start the application.

10            Windows version was incorrect.

11            Executable file was invalid. Either it was not a Windows application or there was an error in the .EXE image.

12            Application was designed for a different operating system.

13            Application was designed for MS-DOS 4.0.

14            Type of executable file was unknown.

15            Attempt was made to load a real-mode application (developed               for an earlier version of Windows).

16            Attempt was made to load a second instance of an executable file containing multiple data segments that were not marked read-only.

19            Attempt was made to load a compressed executable file. The file must be decompressed before it can be loaded.

20            Dynamic-link library (DLL) file was invalid. One of the DLLs required to run this application was corrupt.

21            Application requires Microsoft Windows 32-bit extensions.

Comments
The file specified by the lpszFile parameter can be a document file or an executable file. If it is a document file, this function opens or prints it, depending on the value of the lpszOp parameter. If it is an executable file, this function opens it, even if the string "print" is pointed to by lpszOp.