run command

[singbass]

On my Windows XP machine, I can go to the run command and type 'winword' and hit enter, and Word will open. I assume this is because the folder where the executable resides, is in the 'path' variable on the PC.

When I try and run Word using the RUN("winword.exe") command, it doesn't work, but if I use the entire path like Run("c:\program files\microsoft office\office10\winword.exe"), it works just fine.

Is there a way around this? I would like to write a script that will run on any PC that has Word loaded, but I can't guarantee that the executable is in the same location on every PC.

[Valuater]

3 ideas

1 check all known locations

If FileExists(@ProgramFilesDir & "\microsoft office\office10\winword.exe") Then

Run(@ProgramFilesDir & "\microsoft office\office10\winword.exe")

and other known locations

2 Run(@ComSpec & " /C START winword.exe", "", @SW_MINIMIZE) ;or maximized

Sorry forgot the 3rd idea

hope it helps.......

[DaveF]

If you look at the Default value at the registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\Winword.exe

...you'll get the short path the the Word executable.

[CyberSlug]

For what it's worth, things like "winword" and "msconfig" don't work at the command prompt either.

[singbass]

Command Run(@ComSpec & " /C START winword.exe", "", @SW_MAXIMIZE) worked great!

Thanks.

[/dev/null]

Command Run(@ComSpec & " /C START  winword.exe", "", @SW_MAXIMIZE) worked

that's because launching a command from cmd.exe just by typing the name, will only search the application in the env variable %path%, while start will also search the registry for the application. As DaveF already posted, this is found in:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths

Cheers

Kurt

Edited June 9, 2005 by /dev/null