I'm using ShellExecute to print PDF forms from a desktop application written in VFP9. The requirement is for the program use the PDF appointment of agent (AOA) forms as cover sheets between sections of Fox reports. I segregated the reporting like this:

Set Printer To Default
Select Distinct st, cnty, system ;
	FROM Work Into Cursor mygroups



Select mygroups
Scan
	This.printcover(mygroups.System)
*	sleep(10000)
	Select * From Work ;
		INTO Cursor mywork;
		where (System == mygroups.System);
		AND (st == mygroups.st);
		AND (cnty == mygroups.cnty);
		ORDER By st, cnty, System, acct

	Select mywork
	Set Relation To (st+cnty) Into tunits Additive
	Set Relation To System Into bankname Additive

	Report Form pde1 Noconsole To Printer
Endscan

Where the PrintCover method does the call to shellexecute:

Lparameters cSys
Local cfile, loException
cfile = cSys+[ TX.pdf]

Try
	This.shellexecute(cfile,[T:\AOA\Real Estate - Texas],[print])
Catch To loException
Endtry
WAIT [Printing AOA ...] WINDOW TIMEOUT 10

I have inserted a 10 second delay to try to alleviate a problem where the fox report section gets to the print queue faster than the PDF that should precede it.

Is there another method of shelling out that allows the fox program to wait for the outside call to complete? I believe it may be done with ShellExecuteEX(), but it would be great if an example can be found for me to study.

thanks