New Excel Instance

[stuartmarsh]

Does anybody know how to start a new excel instance from Excel VBA?
I have a macro that can take a while to complete so I want to hide the application whilst it runs. I want the macro to start Excel as a new process in Task Manager and then hide this.
I am using different versions of Excel as well from Excel 2000 to 2003.
Any ideas anybody?

[MartinShort]

This'll do it

Sub NewInstance()
    Call Shell("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\Excel.Exe", vbHide)
End Sub

I've used vbHide here, but there are a number of different options available.

[stuartmarsh]

Is it possible to open an excel file using this command?

[MartinShort]

Yup.

Sub test()
    Call Shell("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\Excel.Exe c:\fred", vbMaximizedFocus)
End Sub

You just add the filename as a parameter at the end of the path.

Hope this helps

MS

[stuartmarsh]

I tried to do this and it works upto the path name bit.
The pathname I use has a space in it, and it reports an error. I think it sees it as two arguments. Do you know a way around this, apart from moving the file?

[MartinShort]

I thought you'd beaten me for a minute as using double quotes, single quotes, variable names doesn't do what you want.

However, I just tried creating a shortcut without any spaces pointing at a folder with spaces in the pathname and it works by rerouting your pathname to the shortcut as in my example below.

eg.

Sub test()
    Call Shell("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\Excel.Exe c:\tom.xls.lnk", vbMaximizedFocus)
End Sub

Enjoy
MS

[stuartmarsh]

Brilliant idea using shortcuts.
I used the code and it works beautifully.
Thank you, you have jsut stopped me turning into a crazy man.

[MartinShort]

No problem. (I think I lost the plot on the crazy stakes some years ago - just give in and go with the flow )

Glad I could help

MS