Shellexecute not working?

[|2eM!x]

If im right here, using shellexecute with parameters is just like creating a shortcut and adding it right there?

so using this code:

ShellExecute me.hwnd, vbNullString, app.path & "\yay.exe", " -time 12", vbNullString, 1

is the same as right clicking yay.exe and adding into the properties bar -time 12?

Well ive never had a problem until now, and the exe i have is crashing. I cant post it because of copyright etc etc...Hoping someone here knows a resolution to it?

[dglienna]

I don't know if vbNullString works for an action, but you are right about the command line arguments. They are the same as they would be if you added them to the properties of the icon or shortcut to the icon. I always used OPEN, EDIT, or PRINT, which I suppose are actions based on the file type.

[|2eM!x]

on other shellexecute's ive used it, so i guess it would work. What other paramater should i pass instead?

[dglienna]

I always used OPEN, EDIT, or PRINT, which I suppose are actions based on the file type.

I added that after I posted.

[|2eM!x]

So any other ideas? i cant use shell because the path has spaces in it.. : (

[RobDog888]

Shellexecute is a good option but try your parameters from the run dialog box. It may be the space between the items for you params - " -time 12".

[|2eM!x]

if i even try it without paramaters it crashes?? i dont get it!

[dglienna]

You could use GetShortPathName API, but I have used things like this:

Option Explicit
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
  Dim Netshare$, DirectoryName$
  Netshare = "David"
  DirectoryName = "d:\david"
  Shell ("C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c  C:\Windows\System32\net share " & Netshare & "=" & DirectoryName), vbNormalFocus
End Sub

and this:

Option Explicit
 
Private 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
 
Private Const SW_SHOWNORMAL As Long = 1
Private Const SW_HIDE As Long = 0
 
Private Declare Function GetSystemDirectory Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetSystemDirectoryA" (ByVal lpBuffer As String, ByVal nSize As Long) As Long
 
Dim sSave As String, Ret As Long
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
    'KPD-Team 1998
    'URL: [url]http://www.allapi.net/[/url]
    'E-Mail: [email][email protected][/email]
    Dim sSave As String, Ret As Long
    'Create a buffer
    sSave = Space(255)
    'Get the system directory
    Ret = GetSystemDirectory(sSave, 255)
    'Remove all unnecessary chr$(0)'s
    sSave = Left$(sSave, Ret)
End Sub
 
Private Sub Command1_Click()
    ShellExecute Me.hwnd, "Open", sSave & "CMD.exe", " /c dir c: > D:\Myfile.txt", "D:\", SW_SHOWNORMAL
End Sub

[RobDog888]

Then its your exe and not the parameters? Post your code for the Startup procedure.

[|2eM!x]

i can run the exe normally and i can run a shortcut with the parameters i want. What do you mean the code for my startup procedure rd?

[RobDog888]

The exe's Form_Load code or Sub Main.

[|2eM!x]

It isnt my .exe, so i dont have any of that stuff mate

I just dont get why shellexecute is causing errors. Can i wrap the shell() command with quotes for use with spaces? shell("""c:\yay ay\yay.exe""") ?

[RobDog888]

Correct.

I do think it has something to do with the space inbetween your argument though.

[|2eM!x]

right rob, but if i take out the arguments it still has errors as i said before

ShellExecute me.hwnd, vbNullString, app.path & "\yay.exe", vbnullstring, vbNullString, 1

i think that will clarify better

[dglienna]

Maybe it needs to start in that directory? Pass the app.path as the last argument. I've seen that happen when you want to read a file in.

[RobDog888]

You need to specify the verb and other parameters as they are important.

ShellExecute me.hwnd, "Open", app.path & "\yay.exe", vbnullstring, "C:\", 1

The "C:\" is your working directory which is very important. If your working dir is not matching what the exe needs then that could cause it to fail depending on your exe. Change it to what the shortcut properties specify as the working dir.

[RobDog888]

Also, if your running in the IDE the app.path is the path to VB6.

[dglienna]

Not if you open a vbp file that has been saved in a different folder. Then app.path works fine in the IDE.

[|2eM!x]

You need to specify the verb and other parameters as they are important.

ShellExecute me.hwnd, "Open", app.path & "\yay.exe", vbnullstring, "C:\", 1

The "C:\" is your working directory which is very important. If your working dir is not matching what the exe needs then that could cause it to fail depending on your exe. Change it to what the shortcut properties specify as the working dir.

i wish i had known about "Open" before, ill try it before. Also, i thought i could leave out C:\ because it will always be different, i thought this was the advantage of shellexecute?

[RobDog888]

Maybe I should be more clear. Make sure your exe is in the expected directory.

[|2eM!x]

ShellExecute Servers.hwnd, "Open", app.path & "\yay.exe", vbNullString, "C:\", 1

still getting the same error! i dont understand this stupid thing

[RobDog888]

Ok, is "C:\" the directory where your exe resides?

Try it with a different exe?

[dglienna]

I meant something like this:

ShellExecute Servers.hwnd, "Open", app.path & "\yay.exe", vbNullString, app.path, 1

[|2eM!x]

app.path is just an example, its dynamic depending on user input

[dglienna]

Well, change the second example to the actual folder, and see if it works.

[|2eM!x]

yeah that works..i guess ill just have to figure a way to get the path from the .exe path..i dont get why we need that 2nd path though

[dglienna]

You'll like the second one

Option Explicit
 
Private Declare Function GetShortPathName Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetShortPathNameA" (ByVal lpszLongPath As String, ByVal lpszShortPath As String, ByVal lBuffer As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetFullPathName Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetFullPathNameA" (ByVal lpFileName As String, ByVal nBufferLength As Long, ByVal lpBuffer As String, ByVal lpFilePart As String) As Long
 
Public Function GetShortPath(strFileName As String) As String
    'KPD-Team 1999
    'URL: [url]http://www.allapi.net/[/url]
    'E-Mail: [email][email protected][/email]
    Dim lngRes As Long, strPath As String
    'Create a buffer
    strPath = String$(165, 0)
    'retrieve the short pathname
    lngRes = GetShortPathName(strFileName, strPath, 164)
    'remove all unnecessary chr$(0)'s
    GetShortPath = Left$(strPath, lngRes)
End Function
 
Function GetFullPath() As String
    'KPD-Team 2000
    'URL: [url]http://www.allapi.net/[/url]
    'E-Mail: [email][email protected][/email]
    Dim Buffer As String, Ret As Long
    'create a buffer
    Buffer = Space(255)
    'copy the current directory to the buffer and append "Project1.vbp"
    Ret = GetFullPathName("Project1.vbp", 255, Buffer, "")
    'remove the unnecessary chr$(0)'s
    GetFullPath = Left(Buffer, Ret)

Oops. that may not work if it's not your app. The second one is the start-in folder that is needed so Windows knows were to read ini files, and the like.

[|2eM!x]

all i did was use instrrev and find \ and then used mid to get the rest of it. Thanks alot guys, i would never have gotten that!