Good morning all.
This is a subject that I have been trying to dig for a long time but which is only very little documented on the web: How to control a third-party application via VBA?
The objective is to create a link (bridge) of an Office tool (Excel / Access) in order to carry out manipulation on a Windows application, for example pasting the clipboard in paint or in notepad. For efficiency's, I don't want to use the sendkeys command which we can't trust.
To my knowledge there is a DDE method which would allow it but it seems to be obsolete. Can you confirm ?
Here is a code using DDE in order to connect to Word and send it the Print command
...
channelNumber = Application.DDEInitiate( _
app:="WinWord", _
topic:="C:\FORMLETR.DOC")
Application.DDEExecute channelNumber, "[FILEPRINT]"
Application.DDETerminate channelNumber
...
Trying to modify it to paste our clipboard on paint, here is the code that does not work:
...
channelNumber = Application.DDEInitiate( _
app:="mspaint", _
topic:="C:\Test.png")
Application.DDEExecute channelNumber, "[PASTE]"
Application.DDETerminate channelNumber
...
Result:
I have an error "Run time error '13': Type missmatch" in the first line although the file opens.
Let's try with the notepad:
...
Sub DDEtoBlocNotes()
Dim Datarange As Range
chan = Application.DDEInitiate(app:="NOTEPAD", topic:="C:\Users\User1\Documents\Access\Test.txt")
Set Datarange = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("A1")
Datarange.Copy
Application.DDEExecute chan, "[EDITIONCOLLER]"
Application.DDETerminate chan
End Sub
...
Result: same error as before despite opening the document.
"Run time error '13': Type missmatch"
Can you help me solve this problem please?
Do you have documentation on the attributes of DDE commands?
Do you know of another way to connect to a third-party application to send commands to it? (OLE / ODBC / ADO)?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Related
I have been given the task of converting the slower Macro Express Pro coding for IBM Personal Communications over to a VBScript/VBA version. The Macro Express Pro coding opens a predetermined profile from a specific location.
This process can take up to 30 seconds. VBScript does this in about a third of the time for a default profile (TN3270.WS). However, when we try opening the specific link highlighted in the UNET.txt file, we get this as an error:
Run-time error '440': Automation error
Here is the VBScript code we are trying to use:
Sub Main()
Dim EName
Dim autECLConnList, objConnMgr
Set objConnMgr = CreateObject("Pcomm.autECLConnMgr")
objConnMgr.autECLConnList.Refresh
objConnMgr.StartConnection ("profile='C:\ProgramData\IBM\Personal Communications\UNET REWORK.ws' connname=a")
Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("00:00:12"))
objConnMgr.autECLConnList.Refresh
EName = objConnMgr.autECLConnList(1).Name
End Sub
The error occurs on the objConnMgr.StartConnection ("profile='C:\ProgramData\IBM\Personal Communications\UNET REWORK.ws' connname=a") line. We know we have the correct path to the profile because it's we found its location:
IBM says that if the profile name contains blanks, it "must to be surrounded by single quotes":
Can anyone provide some advice on what we're doing wrong or what we're missing?
Thanks.
I found a way of doing what I need to do. I was looking too specific into starting a PCOMM session that I didn't even think of just running the .exe file and send it parameters. Here's how I did it:
Sub Main()
Dim WShell
Set WShell = CreateObject("WSCript.shell")
WShell.Run """C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\Personal Communications\pcsws.exe"" ""C:\ProgramData\IBM\Personal Communications\UNET REWORK.WS"""
End Sub
I'm sure this is a duplicate answer to another question out there, but most of the answers are more than a few years old and outdated. This solution is current and recently tested, so it is a more reliable source.
So I'm really confused right now. Out of the blue my code gets me the error "DOS Sharing violation".
It's weird because, it says that is trying to save my document, but I just want to open it.
This is my Code:
Public Sub ReadActivity()
Dim vsoDocument As Visio.Document
Dim vsoPage As Visio.Page
Set vsoDocument = Documents.Open("C:\Users\Philip\Dropbox\Test\Aktivität0.vsdx")
Set vsoPage = vsoDocument.Pages(1)
SvgExport (ActiveDocument.path & "\files_and_images\" & Left(ActiveDocument.name, (InStrRev(ActiveDocument.name, ".", -1, vbTextCompare) - 1)) & ".svg")
CreateCodeActivity
vsoDocument.Close
End Sub
So as you might see the code is simple nothing special is going on.
Before calling the method I'm using this for encoding my textfile: VBA : save a file with UTF-8 without BOM
And two things are very weird. First of all, I used this method two days in a row for coding the method "CreateCodeActivity" and I didn't have any problems. And second, if I call the method let's say three times, on the third time everything works perfectly...
Where might be the problem?
Thank you #Shmukko for the tip, it is really the windows defender that gives me the error.
For Windows 10 the solution is: Go to Settings and select Update & security -> Windows Defender. Select Exclude a file extension and enter the file type for Visio.
That's it.
I have been using folder browser for VBA, I could paste the code of it, but bottom line is that I get returned file name as a string.
Is there any way to access drawing properties (i.e number of layouts) without open?
Public Sub TestFileDialog()
dwgname = FileBrowseOpen("C:", "*", ".dwg", 1) 'dwgname is typeof string
End Sub
Its only the first step (use of FileBrowseOpen function is shown, but also i can use FolderBrowse and collect all .dwg inside of folder),actually i had in mind to batch export all layouts of selected .dwgs to currenty open one. Is there any chance for that?
To effectively read a .dwg file you'll need to open AutoCAD, otherwise the information is not accessible. Some properties may be, such as author, but not number of layouts...
But you can use AutoCAD Console (accoreconsole.exe) to run a headless AutoCAD and use APIs to read any information you need. This is really fast for reading lot's of files and the user will not see it running (but it needs to be installed anyway).
http://aucache.autodesk.com/au2012/sessionsFiles/3338/3323/handout_3338_CP3338-Handout.pdf
you could stay in VBA and use ObjectDBX
it leads to a very similar approach as accoreconsole.exe on in .NET does, i.e you won't see any drawing open in UI since it works on the database itself
It requires adding library reference (Tools->References) to "AutoCAD/ObjectDBX Common XX.Y Type Library", where "XX.Y" is "19.0" for AutoCAD 2014
a minimal functioning code is
Sub main()
Dim myAxDbDoc As AxDbDocument
Dim FullFileName As String
FullFileName = "C:\..\mydrawing.dwg" '<== put here the full name of the file to be opened
Set myAxDbDoc = AxDb_SetDrawing(FullFileName)
MsgBox myAxDbDoc.Layers.Count
End Sub
Function AxDb_SetDrawing(FullFileName As String) As AxDbDocument
Dim DBXDoc As AxDbDocument
Set DBXDoc = Application.GetInterfaceObject("ObjectDBX.AxDbDocument.19") '<== place correct AutoCAD version numeber ("19" works for AutoCAD 2014)
On Error Resume Next
DBXDoc.Open FullFileName
If Err <> 0 Then
MsgBox "Couldn't open" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & FullFileName, vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "AxDB_SetDrawing"
Else
Set AxDb_SetDrawing = DBXDoc
End If
On Error GoTo 0
End Function
Still, you must have one AutoCAD session running from which make this sub run! But you should have it since talked about "currently open" drawing
I am currently trying to automate screenshot grabs from Bloomberg Terminal using DDE within VBA. Currently I have come up with a way to automatically pull screenshots by 'printing' through the Microsoft XPS Document Writer:
Dim ch As Variant
Dim CUSIP As String
CUSIP = Range("B12")
ch = DDEInitiate("winblp", "bbk")
Call DDEExecute(ch, "<blp-1>" & CUSIP & " mtge<GO>")
Call DDEExecute(ch, "<blp-1> DES<Go><print>")
Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("0:00:02")
Application.SendKeys "DES ", False
Application.SendKeys "{enter}", False
Call DDETerminate(ch)
The code seems to work fine on the first run, but then crashes the developer on each subsequent. Any feedback or further suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Probably too late but this may help someone as I've had to do this as well. You can just use the <copy> command in your DDE calls and paste it into Word/Excel/Outlook without using send keys:
Call DDEExecute(ch, "<blp-1> <copy>")
I'm using MS-Access 2010 and Autocad 2012 64bit and work in manufacturing.
I want to be able to at the very least, populate fields in a title block, better still I would like to use data in my access database to write data into a sheet set (the current system works by reading the sheet set values such as sheet title and number into my title block).
The following code is all I have at the moment and it will open autocad and write the date into the command line.
Private Sub OpenAutocad_Click()
Dim CadApp As AcadApplication
Dim CadDoc As AutoCAD.AcadDocument
On Error Resume Next
Set CadApp = GetObject(, "AutoCAD.Application")
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
Set CadApp = CreateObject("AutoCAD.Application")
End If
On Error GoTo 0
CadApp.Visible = True
CadApp.WindowState = acMax
Set CadDoc = CadApp.ActiveDocument
CadDoc.Utility.Prompt "Hello from Access, the time is: " & TheTime
Set CadApp = Nothing
End Sub
I have no idea where to go from here. What are the commands to control the sheet set manager and change data, and can the .dst file be edited without even opening up autocad? is there a list of all available autocad vba commands and functions?
If you are declaring CadApp as AcadApplication you must have added a reference to AutoCAD.
That means you should be able to see the object model using your Object Browser in your VBA IDE. No?
There is also a very helpful site www.theswamp.org which has a whole section devoted to AutoCAD VBA.
If I understand your question correctly, you want to automate filling attributes in a drawing title blocks (such as title, drawer, part number, etc) right from MS Access.
Your code can access the Autocad command line already, but Autocad doesn't seem to have the exact command for filling drawing attribute. (command list)
So looks like you need to fill the attributes programatically using the COM API.
The following question appears to be relevant with yours and the accepted answers does provide a sample code:
Is it possible to edit block attributes in AutoCAD using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop?
Note that in that question the asker was developing a standalone application in C# .NET, where as you will be using VB Automation from MS Access. Shouldn't be too different since the Component Object Model (COM) being used is the same.
What are the commands to control the sheet set manager and change data and can the .dst file be edited without even opening up autocad?
(sorry can't post more than 2 links)
docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%202010%20User%20Documentation/files/WS1a9193826455f5ffa23ce210c4a30acaf-7470.htm
No mention about data change, though.
is there a list of all available autocad vba commands and functions?
Yes.
%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\acad_aag.chm - Developer's Guide
%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\acadauto.chm - Reference Guide
Online version:
help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/AutoCAD-ActiveX/files/GUID-36BF58F3-537D-4B59-BEFE-2D0FEF5A4443.htm
help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/AutoCAD-ActiveX/files/GUID-5D302758-ED3F-4062-A254-FB57BAB01C44.htm
More references here:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?id=1911627&siteID=123112
:) Half the way gone ;)
If you has a open autocad with a loaded drawing you can access the whole thing directly.
Sub block_set_attribute(blo As AcadBlockReference, tagname, tagvalue)
Dim ATTLIST As Variant
If blo Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
If blo.hasattributes Then
tagname = Trim(UCase(tagname))
ATTLIST = blo.GetAttributes
For i = LBound(ATTLIST) To UBound(ATTLIST)
If UCase(ATTLIST(i).TAGSTRING) = tagname Or UCase(Trim(ATTLIST(i).TAGSTRING)) = tagname & "_001" Then
'On Error Resume Next
ATTLIST(i).textString = "" & tagvalue
Exit Sub
End If
Next
End If
End Sub
Sub findtitleblock(TITLEBLOCKNAME As String, attributename As String,
attributevalue As String)
Dim entity As AcadEntity
Dim block As acadblcck
Dim blockref As AcadBlockReference
For Each block In ThisDrawing.BLOCKS
For Each entity In block
If InStr(LCase(entity.objectname), "blockref") > 0 Then
Set blockref = entity
If blockref.effectivename = TITLEBLOCKNAME Then
Call block_set_attribute(blockref, attributename, attributevalue)
exit for
End If
End If
End If
Next
Next
End Sub
call findtitleblock("HEADER","TITLE","Bridge column AXIS A_A")
So assume you has a title block which has the attribute TITLE then it will set the Attribute to the drawing name. it mioght also possible you has to replace the thisdrawing. with your Caddoc. I usually control Access and Excel form autocad and not vice versa ;)
consider also to use "REGEN" and "ATTSYNC" if "nothing happens"
thisdrawing.sendcommens("_attsync" 6 vblf )