Wait for shell command to complete [duplicate]

Question

This question already has an answer here:

• Wait for Shell to finish, then format cells - synchronously execute a command 5 answers

I'm running a simple shell command in Excel VBA that runs a batch file in a specified directory like below:

Dim strBatchName As String
strBatchName = "C:\folder\runbat.bat"
Shell strBatchName

Sometimes the batch file might take longer on some computer to run, and there are proceeding VBA code that is dependent on the batch file to finish running. I know you can set a wait timer like below:

Application.Wait Now + TimeSerial(0, 0, 5)

But that might not work on some computer that are too slow. Is there a way to systematically tell Excel to proceed with the rest of the VBA code until after the shell has finish running?

Answer 1

This is what I use to have VB wait for process to complete before continuing. I did not write this and do not take credit.

It was offered in some other open forum and works very well for me:

The following declarations are needed for the RunShell subroutine:

Option Explicit

Private Declare Function OpenProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Long, ByVal bInheritHandle As Long, ByVal dwProcessId As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function GetExitCodeProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hProcess As Long, lpExitCode As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hObject As Long) As Long

Private Const PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION = &H400

Private Const STATUS_PENDING = &H103&

'then in your subroutine where you need to shell:

RunShell (path and filename or command, as quoted text)

Answer 2

Either link the shell to an object, have the batch job terminate the shell object (exit) and have the VBA code continue once the shell object = Nothing?

Or have a look at this: Capture output value from a shell command in VBA?

Answer 3

Use the WScript.Shell instead, because it has a waitOnReturn option:

Dim wsh As Object
Set wsh = VBA.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Dim waitOnReturn As Boolean: waitOnReturn = True
Dim windowStyle As Integer: windowStyle = 1

wsh.Run "C:\folder\runbat.bat", windowStyle, waitOnReturn

(Idea copied from Wait for Shell to finish, then format cells - synchronously execute a command)

Answer 4

what you proposed with a change at the parenthesis at the Run command worked fine with VBA for me

Dim wsh As Object
Set wsh = VBA.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Dim waitOnReturn As Boolean: waitOnReturn = True
Dim windowStyle As Integer: windowStyle = 1
Dim errorCode As Integer
wsh.Run "C:\folder\runbat.bat", windowStyle, waitOnReturn

Answer 5

Save the bat file on "C:\WINDOWS\system32" and use below code it is working

   Dim wsh As Object
   Set wsh = VBA.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
   Dim waitOnReturn As Boolean: waitOnReturn = True
   Dim windowStyle As Integer: windowStyle = 1
   Dim errorCode As Integer

   errorCode = wsh.Run("runbat.bat", windowStyle, waitOnReturn)

If errorCode = 0 Then
    'Insert your code here
Else
    MsgBox "Program exited with error code " & errorCode & "."
End If   

Answer 6

Dim wsh as new wshshell

chdir "Directory of Batch File"

wsh.run "Full Path of Batch File",vbnormalfocus, true

Done Son