Using ShellExecute() to Open a File in Excel 1

[Shawnasie]

I am using Borland Builder C++ 2009. I want to open a particular file from Microsoft Excel during runtime. The following line of code opens Excel, but there's a message saying it cant find the file "Tool.xls" -- I have tried giving it the entire path for the file, and it still can't find it. Does anyone know how ShellExecute() works? I am wondering if I have filled the parameters correctly.

ShellExecute(NULL, "open" ,"Excel.exe", "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Lab1\\My Documents\\Tool.xls", NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

 

[2ffat]

Did you look at faq101-1952 and faq101-1953?


James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
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[Shawnasie]

Thank you for those links. I had not read those, but I read about ShellExecute() on MSDN after posting this, and it was basically the same thing.

I am doing just what one of the examples said, but it still says it cannot find the file.

 

[Shawnasie]

This is odd though -- when I put in the file name "Calculate Distance.xls", which is another file in excel that I have, it says that it cannot find "Calculate.xls". Then another box opens that says it cannot find "Distance.xls". Basically, it is reading them as two different files.

 

[Shawnasie]

It just occured to me that I put in NULL for the handle. The link you gave me from the FAQs says that it should be the handle for the parent window -- what does that mean?

 

[2ffat]

It just occured to me that I put in NULL for the handle. The link you gave me from the FAQs says that it should be the handle for the parent window -- what does that mean?

In Windows, every window has a name or handle. For ShellExecute it's usually not necessary, handle or NULL should work. If you want to try it, you can try

HWND MyFileHandle = Application->Handle;

What happens when you do

ShellExecute(handle, "open";, "Tool.xls", NULL, "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Lab1\\My Documents", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

or

ShellExecute(NULL, "open";, "Tool.xls", NULL, "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Lab1\\My Documents", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

These would use the default program for opening up an excel file.


James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[Shawnasie]

Thanks, 2ffat. I tried both lines you gave. It doesn't do anything at all. Before, with the original line, it would at least open Excel. But if I take out "Excel.exe" it doesn't do anything.

 

[Shawnasie]

I found a thread which says that basically the problem lies with the spaces that are in the path name. I tried what the thread suggests, which is to add another set of quotes, but it didn't work.

 

[2ffat]

Try something like this:

ShellExecute(handle, "open";, "Tool.xls", NULL, "\"C:\\Documents and Settings\\Lab1\\My Documents\"", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[Ante0]

Try:

ShellExecute(handle, "open";, "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Lab1\\My Documents\\Tool.xls", NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

Also, this would only work if Excel is the default program to open XLS files.
You could also use "short" filenames...
C:\Documen~1\Lab1\My~1\Tool.xls

not sure if it's supposed to be My~1 or MyDocu~1
see if any work, I don't have BC++ here.

 

[Shawnasie]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions -- I can't tell you how much I appreciate having something to try. I am running out of ideas. So far nothing has worked. So I am looking into other options. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[Ante0]

You could always look into custom made Components, I know there is one called AppExec for Delphi, but I'm not sure it exists for C++B, it's at Torrys.

 

[2ffat]

I don't understand why it won't work. Here is a code snippet from one of my programs and it works.

    String DriveStr = (String) C4DriveComboBox->Drive; // Drive letter
    String DirectoryStr = C4DirectoryListBox->Items->Strings[C4DirectoryListBox->ItemIndex];
    String SelectedFileStr = C4FileListBox->Items->Strings[C4FileListBox->ItemIndex]; // Selected file
    String WorkStr;
    if (DirectoryStr.Pos(":") == 0) WorkStr = DriveStr + ":\\" + DirectoryStr;// Directory if only drive letter is picked
    else WorkStr = DirectoryStr;// Directory

    if (WorkStr.Length() > 0) ShellExecute(NULL, NULL, SelectedFileStr.c_str(), NULL, WorkStr.c_str(), SW_SHOWNORMAL);

I use the program at least once a week. It opens a selected file using the file's default application.

What happens when you do this?

AnsiString FileNameStr = "Tool.xls";
AnsiString DirecStr = "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Lab1\\My Documents";

ShellExecute(NULL, NULL, FileNameStr.c_str(), NULL, DirecStr.c_str(), SW_SHOWNORMAL);

James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[Shawnasie]

What happens when you do this?

AnsiString FileNameStr = "Tool.xls";
AnsiString DirecStr = "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Lab1\\My Documents";

ShellExecute(NULL, NULL, FileNameStr.c_str(), NULL, DirecStr.c_str(), SW_SHOWNORMAL);

Absolutely nothing. I tried even that third line you gave with "open" instead of "NULL" in the second parameter and it still didn't work. Also, I tried as before with "excel" in the third parameter, "Tool.xls" in the fourth, and the rest as you gave me-- it opens excel but says that it cannot find "Tool.xls".

 

[Shawnasie]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!! I got it to work finally, and I feel silly because it is sooo simple:

ShellExecute(NULL, "open" ,"Waypoint Tool.xls", "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Lab1\\My Documents\\", NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

 

[Shawnasie]

I also should note that I added the excel file to the project-- that might have helped.