WD98: WindowStyle Argument of Shell Function Ignored (178328)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition
This article was previously published under Q178328

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Shell function in Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications code, the windowstyle argument fails to function as described in Visual Basic Help.

CAUSE

If you set the pathname argument to a document instead of a program, the windowstyle argument has no effect.

For example, if you execute the following Visual Basic statement in Word, Microsoft Excel starts and opens a saved workbook called Workbook1. Because the windowstyle argument is set to vbMinimizedNoFocus, you would expect Excel to be minimized and Word to remain the active window. However, Excel gets the focus. 
   Shell "Macintosh HD:Documents:Workbook1", vbMinimizedNoFocus
By contrast, the following sample Visual Basic statement starts Microsoft Excel and minimizes it; Word remains the active window. 
   Shell "Macintosh HD:Microsoft Office 98:Microsoft Excel", _
   vbMinimizedNoFocus

WORKAROUND

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. To work around this problem, you can use Automation code to start the program and open a document, as demonstrated by the following sample Visual Basic macro. NOTE: Before running this macro, a reference to the Microsoft Excel 8.0 Object Library must be added. To add a project reference, follow these steps:
  1. On the Tools menu, click References.
  2. Click the "Microsoft Excel 8.0 Object Library" check box.
  3. Click OK.
For more information about adding references, click the Office Assistant in the Visual Basic Editor, type Adding References, click Search, and then click to view "Check or Add an Object Library Reference."

Sample Visual Basic Procedure

  Sub LaunchApp()
      Dim AppObj as Excel.Application
      ' Start Excel. If Excel cannot start, exit this macro.
      On Error GoTo Bye
      Set AppObj = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
      ' Open a workbook. (Replace the pathname argument with the path to
      ' your own workbook.
      AppObj.WorkBooks.Open "Macintosh HD:Documents:Workbook1"
      '
      ' <Other code goes here>.
      '
      ' Quit Excel.
      ' AppObj.Quit
      ' Clear the object from memory.
      ' Set AppObj = Nothing
   Bye:
      If Err <> 0 Then
         MsgBox "Can't run Excel or the requested workbook is not valid."
      End If
   End Sub

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

REFERENCES

For more information about the Shell function, click the Office Assistant in the Visual Basic Editor, type "Shell," click Search, and then click to view "Shell Function."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

120802 Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program or Component

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/17/2005
Keywords:kbbug kbcode kbProgramming KB178328
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