>>>Once I start an app with _ShellExecutehow can I close it through automation?
>>
>>Assuming it has an automation interface:
>>
>>

>>oX = GetObject(,"Excel.Application")
>>oX.Quit()
>>oX = NULL
>>

>
>Fred, your code assumes that the name of the application is known. I was thinking of some call of ShellExecute / _ShellExecute with the keyword 'Close', but my attempts failed. Who else has a suggestion?

Well, then you're either going to have to know the Window Title, or spin through the associated files types to determine which application name it is. Either is doable through the WIN API, but I thought you at least knew what application you were dealing with.