Shell command excel vba - vba

Question

I'm having some problems executing the following in Excel VBA. The goal is to run an .sql file - the issue is with the Execute Shell sub I think.
I run:
Sub RunFile()
Call ExecuteShell("C:\","LAPBTN1749","filename.sql")
End Sub
Sub ExecuteShell(path As String, hostname As String, file As String)
Dim retval
retval = Shell("SQLCMD -E -S " & hostname & "\SQLEXPRESS -i " & path & file, vbMinimizedFocus)
End Sub
It doesn't run, probably due to the quotes. If it is the quote, can someone explain how they work or tell me where I can find out because I've never properly understood this.

Answer 1

I agree with #TimWilliams. I prefer to append Chr$(34) to a string because it means I don't have to count the number of quotes that I'm using. The code looks like:
Sub RunFile()
Call ExecuteShell("C:\", "LAPBTN1749", "filename.sql")
End Sub
Sub ExecuteShell(path As String, hostname As String, file As String)
Dim retval
retval = Shell("SQLCMD -E -S " & Chr$(34) & hostname & "\SQLEXPRESS" & Chr$(34) & " -i " _
& Chr$(34) & path & file & Chr$(34), vbMinimizedFocus)
End Sub

Answer 2

If any of the passed parameters contain spaces then likely they need to be quoted in the call to Shell. Quotes in VBA are escaped by doubling them up:
Sub RunFile()
Call ExecuteShell("C:\","LAPBTN1749","filename.sql")
End Sub
Sub ExecuteShell(path As String, hostname As String, file As String)
Dim retval
retval = Shell("SQLCMD -E -S """ & hostname & "\SQLEXPRESS"" -i """ & _
path & file & """", vbMinimizedFocus)
End Sub
If you're still having problems then try Debug.Printing the first Shell argument and running it "manually" at the command prompt.