Re: Shell asynchronously/ synchronously

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:46:06 -0700

Posted a 'reply on the Visual Basic forum.

All the samples of code, I've seen so far use Windows API.

However, if you want to use code that don't call API as me you can do it with simple VB code :

Sub ShellAndWait(PathName As String, _
                 Optional WindowsStyle As VbAppWinStyle = vbMinimizedFocus)
    Dim ShellCmdPath As String
    Dim FileNumber As Long
    Dim template As String
    Dim i As Integer

    ' Generate a temporary filename
    i = 0
    Do
        ShellCmdPath = Hex(i) & ".bat"
        i = i + 1
    Loop While Len(Dir(ShellCmdPath)) > 0

    ' Prepare batch file content
    template = "@echo off" & vbCrLf
    
    ' Action to execute
    template = template & PathName & vbCrLf
    
    ' Remove created batch file when action has been executed
    template = template & "del " & ShellCmdPath

    ' Create batch file
    FileNumber = FreeFile
    Open ShellCmdPath For Output As #FileNumber
    Print #FileNumber, template
    Close #FileNumber

    ' Execute batch file containing action
    Shell ShellCmdPath, WindowsStyle

    ' Wait for asynchronous command to finish
    While Len(Dir(ShellCmdPath)) > 0
        DoEvents
    Wend
End Sub

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Re: Shell asynchronously/ synchronously