Code to open a program by name

[Excelpromax123]

Hi everyone, I'm from Vietnam, so I use Google Translate, so the words may be difficult to understand, hope everyone understands. I need a code to open a program name (because the path often changes), so I can't get the path but have to get the program name

Currently I am using this code but this code is only Off, if you want to change it to On, then edit it somewhere. Sincerely thank!

Function TaskKill(sTaskName)
    TaskKill = CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run("taskkill /f /im " & sTaskName, 0, True)
End Function

Sub turnoffthe program()
On Error Resume Next
TaskKill ("Notepad.exe")
End Sub

 

[johnnyL]

You indicated the path can change so here is some code that will find the path for you of the program name.extention that you provide it:

Sub GetPathToFileName()
'
'   This macro should be able to find the location of any file on your C drive if you provide the name and file extention to look for.
'   It will display the CMD black box while it is searching, May take a minute or two to find the location.
'
    Dim FileName        As String
    Dim FilePath        As String
    Dim retVal          As String
'
    FileName = "Notepad.exe"                                        ' <--- Set this to the file name and extention that you are looking for
'
    retVal = Split(CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Exec("CMD /C FOR /r ""C:\"" %i IN (*" & FileName & ") DO (ECHO %i)").StdOut.ReadAll, vbCrLf)(2)
'
    FilePath = Left$(retVal, InStrRev(retVal, "\"))
Debug.Print FilePath
MsgBox FilePath
End Sub

The code will find the path to any filename.ext on the C Drive.

 

[Excelpromax123]

You indicated the path can change so here is some code that will find the path for you of the program name.extention that you provide it:

Sub GetPathToFileName()
'
'   This macro should be able to find the location of any file on your C drive if you provide the name and file extention to look for.
'   It will display the CMD black box while it is searching, May take a minute or two to find the location.
'
    Dim FileName        As String
    Dim FilePath        As String
    Dim retVal          As String
'
    FileName = "Notepad.exe"                                        ' <--- Set this to the file name and extention that you are looking for
'
    retVal = Split(CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Exec("CMD /C FOR /r ""C:\"" %i IN (*" & FileName & ") DO (ECHO %i)").StdOut.ReadAll, vbCrLf)(2)
'
    FilePath = Left$(retVal, InStrRev(retVal, "\"))
Debug.Print FilePath
MsgBox FilePath
End Sub

The code will find the path to any filename.ext on the C Drive.

thank you. I tried the above code to open the Paint program. But I can't run it, but it gives me an error

Sub GetPathToFileName()
'
'   This macro should be able to find the location of any file on your C drive if you provide the name and file extention to look for.
'   It will display the CMD black box while it is searching, May take a minute or two to find the location.
'
    Dim FileName        As String
    Dim FilePath        As String
    Dim retVal          As String
'
    FileName = "mspaint.exe"                                        ' <--- Set this to the file name and extention that you are looking for
    retVal = Split(CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Exec("CMD /C FOR /r ""C:\"" %i IN (*" & FileName & ") DO (ECHO %i)").StdOut.ReadAll, vbCrLf)(2)
    FilePath = Left$(retVal, InStrRev(retVal, "\"))
Debug.Print FilePath
MsgBox FilePath
End Sub

 

[johnnyL]

@Excelpromax123 I just ran the following code and it found the path to mspaint and opened it:

Sub GetPathToFileNameAndExecute()
'
'   This macro should be able to find the location of any file on your C drive if you provide the name and file extention to look for.
'   It will display the CMD black box while it is searching, May take a minute or two to find the location.
'
    Dim FileName        As String
    Dim FilePath        As String
    Dim retVal          As String
    Dim ExecuteProgram  As Variant
'
    FileName = "mspaint.exe"                                        ' <--- Set this to the file name and extention that you are looking for
'
    retVal = Split(CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Exec("CMD /C FOR /r ""C:\"" %i IN (*" & FileName & ") DO (ECHO %i)").StdOut.ReadAll, vbCrLf)(2)
'
    FilePath = Left$(retVal, InStrRev(retVal, "\"))
'
    ExecuteProgram = Shell(FilePath & FileName, vbNormalFocus)
End Sub

 

[Hyakkivn]

You need to open a program from excel or just open that program from window. If it is the second, I recommend you try Autohotkey.

 

[Jaafar Tribak]

what is the extention(s) associated with the files that are opened with your program ?
I mean like .txt for notepad, .xlsm for excel and so on.

 

[johnnyL]

@Jaafar Tribak, whom are you addressing?

 

[johnnyL]

If your question was addressed to me, the code will find path to all files, I assume, but it would only execute executable files, I also assume. So No, it would not open a txt file or xlsm file.

That might work with some additional code.

 

[Jaafar Tribak]

@Jaafar Tribak, whom are you addressing?

I was actually addressing the OP.
BTW, I tried both your codes but all I get is the CMD black window which never goes away until I dismiss it. Tested it with notepad.exe, excel.exe, mspaint.exe ...

 

[johnnyL]

@Jaafar Tribak my excel is 32 bit and it takes about 20-30 seconds to search and find on my computer. I guess the length of time would depend on how many files it has to look through.