Unix and VB

[neyyi]

I have a Unix script which generates a '.csv' file.

I have to automate the following process :

1. After the '.csv' file is generated, I should invoke some
command (maybe that's a script again) which will read
the '.csv' file and creates a '.mdb' file.

2. Is there anyway that I can call a 'VB' program from a Unix
script? Or

3. how can I call a VB program from another VB program?

Any ideas? I have the standalone VB programs running. At this point, I have to manually take the '.csv' file and generate an access DB. So, I am looking to automate this step.

any help towards this is greatly appreciated.

[Michael Woolsey]

I can answer #3:

Shell "c:\windows\notepad.exe", vbNormalFocus

This will let you run another application from within Visual Basic.

Regarding #2, I don't know how possible that is, since Visual Basic Applications are for windows only, unless you are using some sort of porting program I doubt it's possible. Though since I don't use Unix at all I could be wrong.

Hope this helps.
Michael Woolsey

[neyyi]

#3 -> I want to call another VB program from a VB program.

So, if I write
Shell "c:\windows\VBsample.exe", vbNormalFocus

from the first program....it will goto VBsample program and execute it and then will it return back to the primary program(first program) or can I end it in the called program? Hey, I have never done such a thing. So, I want to understand the flow and the way it would work. Thank You.

[Michael Woolsey]

I'm pretty sure Shell will start the second program and then continue what it was doing. I'm pretty sure they run seperatly.

I'm not sure of a absolute way of killing another application from VB, though you could look for the window using the API call FindWindow and then tell it to close. The telling it to close part can have issues if you don't do it correctly and since I haven't done it before I can't advise you on that.

I think you can send the window a constant (WM_CLOSE or something like that) using the SendMessage API. This is from my memory of some other posts here... try doing a search you should find good examples of how to do it.

Sorry I can't be of more help.
Michael

[neyyi]

Guys.....Anyone out there????????? give it a shot....may be I can investigate on some issues......

[shragel]

So what do you want to know?

[Lyla]

Hi,

For No.: 3

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_INFORMATION      
  hProcess As Long      
  hThread As Long      
  dwProcessID As Long      
  dwThreadID As Long   
End Type

Private Declare Function WaitForSingleObject Lib "kernel32"   (ByVal hHandle As Long, ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function CreateProcessA Lib "kernel32" (ByVal _
      lpApplicationName As String, ByVal lpCommandLine As String, ByVal _
      lpProcessAttributes As Long, ByVal lpThreadAttributes As Long, _
      ByVal bInheritHandles As Long, ByVal dwCreationFlags As Long, _
      ByVal lpEnvironment As Long, ByVal lpCurrentDirectory As String, _
      lpStartupInfo As STARTUPINFO, lpProcessInformation As _
      PROCESS_INFORMATION) As Long

Private Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" _
      (ByVal hObject As Long) As Long
   Private Declare Function GetExitCodeProcess Lib "kernel32" _
      (ByVal hProcess As Long, lpExitCode As Long) As Long
   Private Const NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS = &H20&
   Private Const INFINITE = -1&
   Public Function ExecCmd(cmdline$)
      Dim proc As PROCESS_INFORMATION
      Dim start As STARTUPINFO
      ' Initialize the STARTUPINFO structure:
      start.cb = Len(start)
      ' Start the shelled application:
      ret& = CreateProcessA(vbNullString, cmdline$, 0&, 0&, 1&, _
         NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS, 0&, vbNullString, start, proc)
      ' Wait for the shelled application to finish:
         ret& = WaitForSingleObject(proc.hProcess, INFINITE)
         Call GetExitCodeProcess(proc.hProcess, ret&)
         Call CloseHandle(proc.hThread)
         Call CloseHandle(proc.hProcess)
         ExecCmd = ret&
   End Function

Sub Command1_Click()
      Dim retval As Long
      retval = ExecCmd("notepad.exe")  ''  The shelled program
      MsgBox "Process Finished, Exit Code " & retval
End Sub

'NOTE: The MsgBox statement following the ExecCmd() function is not executed because the
'WaitForSingleObject() function prevents it. The message box does not appear until Notepad
'is closed when the user chooses Exit from Notepad's File menu (ALT, F, X).

Good Luck.

[neyyi]

Hi Lyla,
I have not understood most of the statements that you have written here. That's b'cos I have never used such things. But, I guess this is the time to learn. But, could you give me some heads-up on the code that you have written, maybe just a line on each of them. I REALLY am thankful for taking time to do this.

[Lyla]

Hi neyyi,

That's Ok.

Check this link. That's where i got the code, It might help.

http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q129/7/96.asp


Good Luck.