Run a VB6.0 Executable from Excel/Word

Run an Executable from Excel VBA / Word VBA

If you need to use some grid for showing data / use the feautres in Visual Basic 6.0 that arenot available in VBA, you can create the application in VB6.0 or anyother program and show the User Interface in VBA code


Sub Run_VB6App_FromWord()

--- Some VBA Code here

sCmd = "C:\Program Files\MyFile.exe"
vntResult = OpenProcess(PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION, False, Shell(sCmd, 1))
GetExitCodeProcess vntResult, lngExitCode

' -----------------------------------------------------------
' Coded by Shasur for http://vbadud.blogspot.com
' -----------------------------------------------------------

Do
GetExitCodeProcess vntResult, lngExitCode
DoEvents
Loop While lngExitCode = STILL_ACTIVE

--- some more VBA Code

End Sub


The above program will show the MyFile executable till the user clicks OK/Cancel. Once the application is closed the control will return to the calling VBA program

This used WinAPI Functions

Public Declare Function GetExitCodeProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hProcess As Long, lpExitCode As Long) As Long
Public Declare Function OpenProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Long, ByVal bInheritHandle As Long, ByVal dwProcessId As Long) As Long

Now it depends on how you use the external application. The most often used scenario will be to store the output from the called application (External App) to Registry or Database