Run another software program programmatically?

[Hap]

The USGS has a .jar program used to provide earthquake hazard data giving lat and long coordinates. The program also has an option to import and export an .xls batch file.

Is it "possible" to programmatically open, run, send a batch file, return the batch file, and close the program all in VBA?

Thank you

 

[mvptomlinson]

Would it not make more sense to write a java program to run a java (.jar) file?

 

[Hap]

The program uses the values to from the program but 99% of the program I'm writing isn't about running java programs. A fair question though!!

 

[John_w]

Is it "possible" to programmatically open, run, send a batch file, return the batch file, and close the program all in VBA?

One way is via the Shell function.

 

[Hap]

I'll check into that. You know any good sample code or related threads?

Thanks

 

[John_w]

Searching for VBA shell batch and similar should find a few.

Another way is the Run or Exec method in the Windows Script Host classes - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2x3w20xf(v=VS.85).aspx.

 

[Hap]

Thank you for the input!!!

 

[Ruddles]

If you're shelling to an external program and you want your VBA code to wait until it finishes before proceeding, do a Google search for shellwait.

 

[Hap]

Ok. I can get the other program to run but is there a way to pass parameters to it? Also on the wait functionality, can I just include a msgbox driven wait before continuing rather than being tied to the execution or state of the other program?

Thanks again

 

[Ruddles]

Ok. I can get the other program to run but is there a way to pass parameters to it?

Whether you can pass parameters to it depends on whether it accepts them. How would you pass them if you were calling it from the command line?

Also on the wait functionality, can I just include a msgbox driven wait before continuing rather than being tied to the execution or state of the other program?

I'm not sure why you'd want to do it that way but yes, that will work.