Shell function syntax

[alanrichey]

Hi

I've done a forum search on this problem but no-one else seems to be having it. I have the following code

Dim retVal
retVal = Shell("C:\Readmems.exe", 1)

But when I try and run the host program (And note that C:\Readmems.exe does exist) I just get the error

"wrong number of arguments or invalid property assignment"

What am I doing wrong ?

[Arnoutdv]

Are you really using VB6?

When running your sample directly from the IDE

Private Sub Form_Load()
  Dim retVal
  retVal = Shell("C:\Readmems.exe", 1)
End Sub

Gives the following error:

Run-time error '53':

File not found

[Continue] [End] [Debug] [Help]

[alanrichey]

Are you really using VB6?

Afraid so Up to now it has done everything I wanted so I didn't bother upgrading.

What I have done is put a button (Called 'Shell') on my form and the full code is:

Private Sub Shell_Click()
Dim retVal
retVal = Shell("""C:\Readmems.exe""")
End Sub

And I get that error.

Just in case I tried it in Form_Load() but still got the same error

[christ62]

Hello, Why do you not use ShellExecute ?

ShellExecute (0, "Open", "C:\Readmems.exe", vbnullstring,vbnullstring,10)

[fafalone]

Is it possible you have a function that is also named Shell? VB allows this, and I was able to reproduce your error like this:

Private Function Shell(a As String, b As Long, c As Long) As Long
MsgBox "shelled"
End Function
Private Sub Command8_Click()
Shell "C:\test.exe", 2, 3, 4
End Sub

Edit: Also I agree with the above poster that you should just switch to ShellExecute (or ShellExecuteEx), since VB's Shell has some issues on newer Windows versions (not the type that would cause your error here though)

Public Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpParameters As String, ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long

[Arnoutdv]

The problem is that your command button is named "Shell" like the Shell function you want to call!

Private Sub Shell_Click()
Dim retVal
retVal = Shell("""C:\Readmems.exe""", 1)
End Sub

[alanrichey]

The problem is that your command button is named "Shell" like the Shell function you want to call!

Private Sub Shell_Click()
Dim retVal
retVal = Shell("""C:\Readmems.exe""", 1)
End Sub

Oh, for goodness sake, how did I miss that ? I will crawl into a corner, assume the foetal position and suck my thumb.

My only excuse is the quote "The only stupid question is the one you don't ask".

Many thanks, although I will take the advice and start trying ShellExecute.

Cheers

Al

[DataMiser]

I would also suggest that you properly dim retval rather than letting it default to a variant.

[Bobbles]

Also I am nervous about doing some things in Form_Load
I usually do them in Form_Activate, and have a flag to ensure they only happen once