Launching WinWedge from Excel Example #1

Public Const MyPort$ = "COM1" ' change port if necessary

Sub RunWedge()
On Error Goto ErrorHandler 'trap errors
' try to activate the Wedge Window
' if Wedge is not activated, this will generate an error
AppActivate "Software Wedge - " & MyPort$

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' NOTE: For WinWedge 3.0 Standard Edition use:
' AppActivate "WinWedge - " & MyPort$
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
On Error Goto 0 ' remove error trap
' 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

Launching WinWedge from Excel Example #2

The following subroutine does the same thing as the code above except that it launches the WinWedge configuration file directly using the Windows API function "ShellExecute". The advantage of the following method is that you do not need to know the location of the WinWedge.EXE program file and you only need to know the file location for the WinWedge configuration file that you want to use.

Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" _
Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, _
ByVal lpOperation As String, _
ByVal lpFile As String, _
ByVal lpParameters As String, _
ByVal lpDirectory As String, _
ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long

Sub LaunchWinWedgeConfig()
Dim WedgeFile As String, X As Long
WedgeFile = "MyConfig.SW3" 'WinWedge config file name
' assume the config file is in the same file folder as this
' workbook - if not, code the full path for the file into
' the WedgeFile variable and delete the following line
WedgeFile = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\" & WedgeFile

' launch the WinWedge configuration file
X = ShellExecute(0, "open", WedgeFile, vbNullString, vbNullString, 0)
If X < 33 Then ' function failed - warn user and exit
MsgBox "The file: " & WedgeFile & " did not launch successfully"
Else ' otherise, wait 3 secs for WinWedge to load
Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("00:00:03")
AppActivate Application.Caption ' set focus to Excel
End If

End Sub

' this sub runs when you close the sheet
Sub Auto_Close()

On Error Resume Next ' ignore errors

' open a dde link with the wedge
chan = DDEInitiate("WinWedge", MyPort$)
DDEExecute chan, "[Appexit]" ' tell wedge to quit
DDETerminate chan 'Terminate the channel

End Sub