How do you run a .exe with parameters using vba"s shell()?

Cover Image for How do you run a .exe with parameters using vba"s shell()?
Matheus Mello
Matheus Mello
published a few days ago. updated a few hours ago

Running a .exe with parameters using VBA's shell() function

šŸ“ Hey, tech enthusiasts! Have you ever encountered a challenge when trying to run a .exe file with parameters using VBA's shell() command? šŸ¤” Fret no more, for I'm here to guide you through this puzzling problem and provide you with easy solutions! šŸ’”

šŸ” Let's first understand the context of this issue. You have a target file path that looks something like this:

C:\Program Files\Test\foobar.exe /G

And your goal is to execute this file using VBA's shell() command. However, you've encountered some hurdles along the way. šŸ˜“

šŸ’” Here's what you've tried so far, without any success:

file = """C:\Program Files\Test\foobar.exe"" /G"
shell(file)   ' Error 52: Bad file name or number

file2 = "C:\Program Files\Test\foobar.exe /G"
shell(file2)  ' File not found

Based on your experience, you know that VBA and the shell() function are not the culprits. So what's the solution? šŸ¤”

šŸ“ Formatting the file path correctly

To instruct the shell() function to include the argument while running the .exe file, you need to format the file path properly. Here's how you can do it:

file = "C:\Program Files\Test\foobar.exe"
args = "/G"
shell(file & " " & args)

By separating the file path and arguments with a space, you can ensure that the shell() function understands and executes your desired command. šŸš€

With this updated code, you should be able to run your .exe file with parameters effortlessly. Give it a try and see the magic happen! āœØ

āœ… Success with other .exe files?

You mentioned that you've succeeded in running other .exe files using shell(). That's great! It reaffirms that the issue lies in properly formatting the file path with arguments.

šŸ¤ Engage with me!

I hope this guide has cleared up any confusion you had about running a .exe file with parameters using VBA's shell() command. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment below. I'm here to help you out! šŸ’Ŗ

Now it's your turn to share your experiences. Have you ever encountered any challenges or peculiarities when using VBA? Let me know in the comments! Let's discuss and learn together. šŸŒŸ

So go ahead, give it a try, and happy coding! šŸŽ‰āœØšŸš€


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