Useing AppActivate

How would I modify this to work more like a [control-TAB]
If the app is already open and to open app if not already?

Sub ardis_open()
Range("A4:J93").Copy
Range("A2").Activate
MyAppID = Shell("C:ardiscowin.EXE", 1) ' Run ardis
AppActivate MyAppID ' Activate ardis
End Sub

[NateO]

Anon,

Here's one way to do it, copy the following into a module (I added the findwindow function so that some workable code is in one post):

Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

sub test()
h = FindWindow("Windows Class Name for your Application", vbNullString)
If h > 0 Then
AppActivate "Windows Class Name for your Application"
Else: MyAppID = Shell("C:ardiscowin.EXE", 1)
end if
end sub

When a program is launched, like Lotus Notes or Winzip, Windows assigns an integer which it calls a "handle" by nickname. For Lotus Notes, it is "Notes." You'll have to find the Windows Class name for your program you're referring to. If the associated integer for the handle is greater than zero, the program is open. The best way I've found to test for a launched program.

Here's a small list of class names and their respective applications:

http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/handlevb.htm

And here's how to score other class names:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q112649

Cheers, Nate

[ This Message was edited by: NateO on 2002-02-27 16:10 ]

[Ivan F Moala]

[quote]
On 2002-02-26 14:09, NateO wrote:
Anon,

Here's one way to do it:

sub test()
h = FindWindow("Windows Class Name for your Application", vbNullString)
If h > 0 Then
AppActivate "Windows Class Name for your Application"
Else: MyAppID = Shell("C:\ardis\cowin.EXE", 1)
end if
end sub


Nate
You forgot the windows API for this sub

Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

The windows handle is usually a long

The good links that NateO gave are useful
if you are using VB but for VBA you will
need to change a few things for the Ms link..
Use the IEtimer as VBA has no Timer.
You will have to link the Prints to a textbox
If you can do these then the routine is very good.
Otherwise to get the class name have a look
@ NateO 2nd link or use this routine I use

Option Explicit
Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Declare Function PostMessage Lib "user32" Alias "PostMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long
Declare Function GetClassName Lib "user32" Alias "GetClassNameA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal nMaxCount As Long) As Long
Declare Function ShowWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nCmdShow As Long) As Long


Sub GetClass()
Dim WinWnd As Long, sWndTitle As String, RetVal As Long, lpClassName As String

sWndTitle = InputBox("Enter the exact window title:" & Chr$(13) & Chr$(10) & _
"Note: must be an exact match")

WinWnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, sWndTitle)
If WinWnd = 0 Then MsgBox "Couldn't find the window ...": Exit Sub

lpClassName = Space(256)
RetVal = GetClassName(WinWnd, lpClassName, 256)
MsgBox "Classname for Window Caption" & vbLf & vbLf & _
"[" & sWndTitle & "] = " & Left$(lpClassName, RetVal)

End Sub

Ivan F Moala

[NateO]

Ivan, good catch on the API, my fingers are moving faster than the brain. Another good one with the VB. I liked your code for calling the class name, very choice, hope you don't mind me playing with it below...While it seems relatively simple, I was having a little difficulty getting the exact string correct. So I played with a function (er 2) where you can enter part of a string to return the class name (i.e., Mr Excel or Internet returns IEFrame). It likes to default to the program manager when all else fails, but otherwise, I like this a lot. Thought you might be interested:

Option Explicit
Option Compare Text
Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Declare Function PostMessage Lib "user32" Alias "PostMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long
Declare Function GetClassName Lib "user32" Alias "GetClassNameA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal nMaxCount As Long) As Long
Declare Function ShowWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nCmdShow As Long) As Long
Declare Function GetWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wCmd As Long) As Long
Declare Function EnumWindows Lib "user32" (ByVal lpEnumFunc As Long, ByVal lParam As Long) As Long
Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long
Private psAppNameContains As String
Private pbFound As Boolean
Private sTitle As String
Public Function apptitlebystringpart(StringPart As String) As Boolean
Dim lRet As Long
psAppNameContains = StringPart
lRet = EnumWindows(AddressOf CheckForInstance, 0)
apptitlebystringpart = pbFound
pbFound = False
End Function
Private Function CheckForInstance(ByVal lhWnd As Long, ByVal _
lParam As Long) As Long
Dim lRet As Long
Dim iNew As Integer
If Trim(psAppNameContains = "") Then
CheckForInstance = False
Exit Function
End If
sTitle = Space(255)
lRet = GetWindowText(lhWnd, sTitle, 255)
sTitle = StripNull(sTitle)
If InStr(sTitle, psAppNameContains) > 0 Then
CheckForInstance = False
pbFound = True
Else
CheckForInstance = True
End If
End Function
Private Function StripNull(ByVal InString As String) As String
Dim iNull As Integer
If Len(InString) > 0 Then
iNull = InStr(InString, vbNullChar)
Select Case iNull
Case 0
StripNull = InString
Case 1
StripNull = ""
Case Else
StripNull = Left$(InString, iNull - 1)
End Select
End If
End Function
Sub GetClass()
Dim WinWnd As Long, sWndTitle As String, RetVal As Long, lpClassName As String
sWndTitle = InputBox("Enter at least one word from the Window Title:")
If sWndTitle <> "" Then
apptitlebystringpart (sWndTitle)
sWndTitle = sTitle
WinWnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, sWndTitle)
lpClassName = Space(256)
RetVal = GetClassName(WinWnd, lpClassName, 256)
MsgBox "Classname for Window Caption" & vbLf & vbLf & _
"[" & sWndTitle & "] = " & Left$(lpClassName, RetVal)
Else: MsgBox ("You didn't enter a term, making the task challenging...")
End If
End Sub

This type of procedure is almost necessary if you're going to try to use the call names of programs like Adobe Acrobat or Paint Shop Pro, where the call name is "dynamic" (Windows changes the call name every time it's launched).


Cheers,

Nate

[ This Message was edited by: NateO on 2002-02-27 16:09 ]

[Ivan F Moala]

Nate

Good one....was actually going to code
one to look at the windows name (partial)

No need to now....and yes this is much better
then typeing in the exact name of the window


cheers

Ivan