>Greetings!
>
>When running an .APP, I can successfully launch Excel under program control by issuing "RUN /N excel c:\temp". This loads an .XLS file called TEMP into Excel. (The temp file is created by FoxPro based on preferences in a grid.) Apparently, FoxPro recognizes Excel as a registered application, since I do not need to tell it exactly where EXCEL is; plus, no quotes are necessary.
>
>However, if this command is excecuted within an .EXE, it generates an error: "RUN|! Command Failed." How can FoxPro "see" Excel from an .APP and *not* from an .EXE? Is there a reliable way to launch Excel without needing to know where it is (due to various installations)?
>
>Plus, I need a solid way to test whether Excel is running before issuing the RUN command, otherwise, two copies will be loaded. Here is the code I came up with:
>
>***********
>
>set library to foxtools.fll
>
>lnFindH = RegFn("FindWindow", "C@C", "I")
>lcTitle = "Microsoft Excel - temp"
>lnAppH = CallFn(lnFindH, 0, @lcTitle)
>
>IF lnAppH != 0
> lnFindH = RegFn("ShowWindow", "II", "I")
> =CallFn(lnFindH, lnAppH, 2)
> =CallFn(lnFindH, lnAppH, 3)
>ELSE
> RUN /N excel c:\temp
>ENDIF
>
>***********
>
>This code appears to run well, depending on certain circumstances. Apparently, "lcTitle" must match exactly, otherwise another copy of Excel will load. If TEMP.XLS is open and its window is *not* maximized, Excel will be reported as "Microsoft Excel". However, if the file in Excel *is* maximized, Excel will be reported as "Microsoft Excel - temp". If all goes well, if Excel is already running, it will be activated (as with an Alt+Tab).
>
>In summary, this whole process is very unreliable, and I need some help with two things:
>
>1) How can Excel be reliably launched from within a FoxPro .EXE, without knowing the actual directory path?
>
>2) How can the presence of Excel be detected, regardless of its file or window status?
>
>I will appreciate any help. Thank you!
>
>Michael Reynolds
Hi Michael,

1. You can use the ShellExecute function to open Excel with the desired file open. If you need more details, there have been several threads here recently on the function, or check my article in this month's FoxPro Advisor.

2. There's a file available in the download section (Win 32 and other APIs) that will let you determine if a Windows application is running. All you have to do is pass the known protion of the title bar to the function and it will return the window handle if it is.

hth,