launch apps ?

I would like to be able to launch Acrobat Reader to preview some associated
information in a PDF format. I have been looking for the VBA equivalent to
the AutoLisp "Startapp". Ii don't need to interact with the other program
(get information from it). I would just like to open it to a specific file.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Matthew

 

Hi Matthew.

Look into the VBA function 'Shell'.
This allows you to fire external apps.

Or here's a declare statement I use accessing it through the win api:

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

'Sample to fire up a pdf doc.
Public Sub StartPDF()
ShellExecute 0, "open", "C:\Temp\Temp.pdf", "", "", 1
End Sub

Hope this helps
Warren Medernach

 

Hi Matthew...
Also, here's a link to info on the shellexecute function:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...rm/shell/reference/functions/shellexecute.asp

Warren Medernach

 

Thanks. that works great.

Matthew

 

Hi

I am new to the VBA thing; I tried the code that Warren supplied, it
doesn't seem to work for me....

Do I put the code into a new Module?


I was also trying the StartApp command but didn't work either. This is what
I had for a menu command....
^c^c(startapp "c://Program Files//Adobe//Acrobat//Reader//AcroRd32.exe"
"c://temp//temp.pdf");;;

It gave me ;
Command: (startapp "c://Program Files//Adobe//Acrobat//Reader//AcroRd32.exe"
"c:/temp/temp.pdf")
nil

Command:

Thanks for help....

Fred

 

Fred, you can place the declare statement at the top (outside any procedures) of a module. You'll then be able to call that Win API shell function from within any module in your project. As for your AutoLISP code, the forward slashes should be changed to backslashes.

 

Hi

Thanks that worked....now I just got to figure out how to run a macro from
the menu....Thanks .....
As for the LISPstuff it didn't work I tried both;
^c^c(startapp "c:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat//Reader\\AcroRd32.exe"
"c:\\temp\\temp.pdf");;;
and also I tried
^c^c(startapp "c:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat//Reader\AcroRd32.exe"
"c:\temp\temp.pdf");;;

and I got

Command: (startapp "c:


Thanks for the help!.... ;-)

procedures) of a module. You'll then be able to call that Win API shell
function from within any module in your project. As for your AutoLISP code,
the forward slashes should be changed to backslashes.

 

Well, Developer was half right. In lisp you can use either a double
backslash or a forward slash:

^c^c(startapp "c:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe"
"c:\\temp\\temp.pdf");;;

or

^c^c(startapp "c:/Program Files/Adobe/Acrobat/Reader/AcroRd32.exe"
"c:/temp/temp.pdf");;;

You were *definitely* having issues between Acrobat and Reader - you
left it as "Acrobat//Reader" in both of your examples

___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's AutoCAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies

 

Hi Mike

I tried both your suggestions with the double forward and the back slashes,
and no luck;

^c^c(startapp "c:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe"
"c:\\temp\\temp.pdf");;;

When I select the menu item i am getting ( ia m pressing enter after each
command, just to show you what I am getting)

Command: (startapp "c:
("_>
("_> Program Files
("_>
("_> Adobe
("_>
("_> Acrobat
("_>
("_> Reader
("_>
("_> AcroRd32.exe" "c:
("_>
("_> temp
("_>
("_> temp.pdf")
nil


Thanks for the help....

 

Hi Fred,

It's probably the blank space(s) in the filename/path. According to help for
"startapp" any arguments containing spaces must be enclosed in double
quotes.

HTH

Gary

 

Hi Gary

I tried but with no luck;
^c^c(startapp "/"Program Files/Adobe/Acrobat/Reader/AcroRd32.exe/""
"c:/temp/temp.pdf");;;


and my result was;

Command: (startapp "/"Program Files/Adobe/Acrobat/Reader/AcroRd32.exe/""
"c:/temp/temp.pdf")
nil


Thanks for the help


Fred

 

Looks like you have that code in a tool button.

Have you tried simply pasting the startapp statement on the command line
without the escapes and other toolbar codes?
Maybe even try starting acrobat without specifying a document.

The statement you posted works for me (acad2000) (acrobat 5.0) when pasted
to the command line (without the extras).

Gary

 

hmm interesting...

I am running all of this through the menus....no toolbars...
I tried taking the stuff, like you mentioned, out so I had...
(startapp "/"Program Files/Adobe/Acrobat 6.0/Reader/AcroRd32.exe/""
"c:/temp/temp.pdf")

But
still no luck its givng me a 'nil' after i start the command

 

(startapp) always returns nil. You are using forward slashes as control
characters:
(startapp "/"Program Files/Adobe/Acrobat/Reader/AcroRd32.exe/""
"c:/temp/temp.pdf")
should be
(startapp "\"Program Files/Adobe/Acrobat/Reader/AcroRd32.exe\""
"c:/temp/temp.pdf")

This should work, provided it is a valid path to adobe *and* the pdf.

 

Hi Ed;

I have
(startapp "\"Program Files/Adobe/Acrobat/Reader/AcroRd32.exe\""
"c:/temp/temp.pdf")

and I got at the line command
Command: (startapp "

path for the file is correct and the file exists on my hardrive....

 

It may be how you are pasting the text. Try entering it directly in the text
window (F2). I just tested it on my machine.

 

Hi Ed;

Thanks for the help....still no luck...not sure what is going on....I did a
search for some other posts and a couple fellas had the same occurence with
the nil....

I am running WinXP, ACAD2004 Adobe 6 Reader....

I think it must be in the path...cuz the VBA routine at the beggining of
this post works fine for me....

Thanks for the help

Fred

 

Hi

I should of tried this before....but never thought of it...I ran....
(startapp "C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat 5.0\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe"
"c:\\temp\\temp.pdf")

this works on AutoCAD 2000i and it WORKED...no problem...but ACAD 2004 and
it didn't work there is a problem....

still lookin....

Thanks again...

 

That's the same statement that work for me (Acrobat 5.0) with Acad2000

Could it be a bug in Acad2004?

Gary

 

I should of tried this before....but never thought of it...I ran....

Yeah, that's what I posted for you yesterday. It should work fine in
2004....try this:

copy AcroRd32.exe to c:\temp
then try opening the pdf file

If this works, it's the space in your path. If it doesn't, try doing the
same thing with Notepad and a text file to see if it is specific to
AcroReader.
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's AutoCAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies