PATRUCCO - WinWedge: launching WinWedge from Excel

The following VBA subroutine executes the Software Wedge and passes it the name of a WinWedge configuration file (MyConfig.SW3) on the command line. This causes WinWedge to automatically load the specified configuration file and then activate itself in NORMAL mode.

Public Const MyPort$ = "COM1"

' change port if necessary

Sub RunWedge()

' Set up an error trap
On Error Goto ErrorHandler

' try to activate the Wedge Window
' if Wedge is not running or activated this line will generate an error
AppActivate "Software Wedge - " + MyPort$

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' NOTE: For WinWedge 3.0 Std use:
' AppActivate "WinWedge - " + MyPort$
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

' remove error trap
On Error Goto 0

' set the focus back to excel & exit
AppActivate Application.Caption
Exit Sub

ErrorHandler:

' If we get here the wedge is not running, so launch it:
RetVal = Shell("C:\WINWEDGE\WINWEDGE.EXE _
C:\WINWEDGE\MyConfig.SW3")

' give wedge time to load ~ 2 secs, then resume.
Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("00:00:02")
Resume Next

End Sub

Note: If you name an Excel subroutine "Auto_Open()", Excel will automatically run the routine whenever the spreadsheet that contains it is initially opened. The Auto_Open subroutine is an excellent place to launch the Wedge (as well as do any other initialization functions that you might require). If you re-name the above subroutine to "Auto_Open()" then you can save yourself the step of having to manually run the above subroutine.

Similar to the Auto_Open subroutine, Excel also supports an Auto_Close subroutine that runs automatically when you close your spreadsheet. This might be a good place to tell the Wedge to quit and unload itself from memory as in the following example.

Sub Auto_Close()	' this sub runs when you close ' the sheet
On Error Resume Next chan = DDEInitiate("WinWedge", MyPort$) DDEExecute chan, "[Appexit]" DDETerminate chan	' ignore errors and try to launch ' WinWedge ' open a dde link with the wedge ' tell wedge to quit 'Terminate the channel

End Sub