microsoft office/access - problem with filepath using call shell from vba

Question

I have the following vba-code in an MS-Access97-frontend which opens a word-document stored on a server:

Call Shell("winword ""\\Fileserver\Contabilita\Crucial deadlines\Bonifico97.doc""", 1)

The document is a merge-document (getting data from a query and populates the document from the data retrieved)

Now, I have put the database-frontend on another computer (still using MS-Access 97 but with MS-Word 2003 installed on the PC - MS-Access 97 is still working nicely since it was installed in a different directory) but now when above code, using call shell, is being executed, I always get "Document not found". If I launch above shell command in Start/execute, the document is being opened correctly.

What could be the problem? The file-path? Did any anything change in VBA 97 and VBA2003 what regards file-paths? I am aware of the fact that there is a folder in the file-path with a space but it works nicely on the PC with office97 installed.

I would appreciate any help I can get. Thank you.

I wonder if word is in your path? I have not seen shell used with such a short reference to word. — Fionnuala
– Fionnuala, Commented Jun 15, 2011 at 19:32
Will a similar Shell command work with a plain (not merge) document? — HansUp
– HansUp, Commented Jun 15, 2011 at 19:44
I think you may need shellexecute: developerfusion.com/article/9/shell-and-shellexecute-function/2 — Fionnuala
– Fionnuala, Commented Jun 15, 2011 at 19:47
@Remou. It didn't like winword (which works in Access97). I resolved by using the whole path of Word 2003 i.e. "Call Shell("C:\Programmi\Microsoft Office2003\OFFICE11\WINWORD.EXE ""\\Fileserver\Contabilita\Crucial deadlines\Bonifico97.doc""", 1)" If you would put that down as an answer, I could put that as the accepted answer. Thanks. — moster67
– moster67, Commented Jun 15, 2011 at 20:30
@HansUp - no, there were no differences if the document was a merge-type or not. I already tried that. Thx anyway. — moster67
– moster67, Commented Jun 15, 2011 at 20:30

Fionnuala · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-15 20:39:45Z

2

You will need to use the full path for Word.

answered Jun 15, 2011 at 20:39

community wiki

Fionnuala

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

David-W-Fenton · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-15 21:56:30Z

2

Alternatives to using SHELL with the full path specified for Word would be:

Application.FollowHyperlink
ShellExecute

In either case, you'd be opening the file with the application associated with the file association of the file you're opening. The only reason to stick with Shell() is if you're using the PID returned by the Shell() function to control the application after it's run. But your original code used Call Shell... so that wasn't an issue.

answered Jun 15, 2011 at 21:56

David-W-Fenton

23.2k4 gold badges48 silver badges59 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

microsoft office/access - problem with filepath using call shell from vba

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related