HOWTO: Use the _ShellExecute Foundation Class

MORE INFORMATION

You can use the _ShellExecute Foundation Class in the _Environ Visual Class Library to either open or print the file that passed to _ShellExecute. If the file is found, or if there was no association with the file, you can test the return value for possible reasons why the ShellExecute failed. A return value over 32 indicates success.

The following code shows how to print a Microsoft Word 97 document named Test.doc in the Word97 directory using the _ShellExecute Foundation Class.

Sample Code

   * Start of code *
   * Program using _ShellExecute class in _Environ library
   *
   * Pass in three parameters:
   *    tcFileName= file to open/print
   *    tcWorkdir = path to file
   *        tcOperation = what to do with the file, Open or Print
   *
   *  Return:   2  - Bad Association (e.g., invalid URL)
   *            29 - Failure to load application
   *            30 - Application is busy
   *            31 - No application association
   *
   *            Values over 32 indicate success
   *
   LPARAMETERS tcFileName,tcWorkDir,tcOperation
   tcFileName = "Test.doc"
   tcWorkDir = "C:\Word"         && Use appropriate directory here
   tcOperation = "Print"
   runapp = NEWOBJECT("_ShellExecute",HOME()+"Ffc\_Environ.vcx")
   retval=runapp.ShellExecute(tcFileName,tcWorkDir,tcOperation)

   IF retval <= 32
      =MESSAGEBOX("ShellExecute was unsuccessful.")
   ENDIF
   * End of code *
				

You can also use the _ShellExecute Class to run another application. The following example opens Windows Explorer:

Sample Code

   * Start of code *
   * Program using _ShellExecute class in _Environ library
   tcFileName = "Explorer.exe"
   tcOperation = "Open"
   retval=runapp.ShellExecute(tcFileName,tcWorkDir,tcOperation)
   IF retval <= 32
      =MESSAGEBOX("ShellExecute was unsuccessful.")
   ENDIF
   * End of code *