Run External EXE from Sql Server

[ehenry]

Is there a way to trigger a program to start running from SQL Server?

What I have is a database that is scheduled to update on a daily basis. After this update I want to open an excel file. The excel file will pull the data it needs automatically to produce a report. I can have the file open using an external program, I was just curious if there was a way to do it from within SQL server.

Thank you for any help on this.

 

[gmmastros]

yes. it's possible. But there are various reasons why it's better to NOT do this.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa260689(SQL.80).aspx

-George

"The great things about standards is that there are so many to choose from." - Fortune Cookie Wisdom

 

[ehenry]

Thank you,

I am looking into xp_cmdshell but can't seem to make it open an excel file. There is no run or open command. I have
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'copy c:\test.xlsx',NO_OUTPUT but no luck.

What alternative would you suggest rather than using xp_cmdshell?

 

[ehenry]

Would it be possible to do this using the SQL Server Agent?

 

[gmmastros]

try using a linked server and schedule a job to copy that data from SQL Server to the excel file.

-George

"The great things about standards is that there are so many to choose from." - Fortune Cookie Wisdom

 

[RiverGuy]

Your problem is that you said you want to "open an excel file," but based on your code, it looks like you're trying to copy a file. If you want to open Excel and have it load a specific file, try calling the Excel executable and then passing in an argument for the file you wish to open. Here is reference for command line arguments in Excel:

http://officeint.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA101580301033.aspx

But I think you're going to have a larger problem. SQL Server runs under a service account. So you'll never see a file open because the Excel process will execute under the service account. Who knows if your Excel VBA routines will even work without the user interface??

I would take a step back and think about re-engineering your solution.

Is the Excel file used simply as a report? If it is, then think about using something like SSIS to export data from SQL Server out to an Excel file.

 

[ehenry]

Thanks for the input. The Excel file must be used, it is actually a complex calculator run by VBA, I don't see any other way around using it. I am looking into using the sql Server Agent CmdExec right now.

 

[RiverGuy]

Not trying to be offensive, but that's a very unstable foundation for an information system. I'd never let anything like that out into production in my sphere of influence.

 

[ehenry]

I think you would see it differently with an idea of what the entire process is. Thanks for you input though.