Macro to save text string as an MS-DOS format text document

The site won't let me upload a .dat file, so I converted it to .txt for the purpose of this example.

The link I would copy into Run to use to upload looks like:

S:\wfx32\TDIN Admin S:\SHARED\TD IN\examp_0120131213.dat
^Link for import program ^Link to test string .dat file

You can probably do what you want in Excel. See the following code that writes directly to a text file from Excel. You may be able to replace the text I have with the contents of cells in the workbook.

Sub CreateClearPrintQueueDotBatFile()
  'This creates a text '.bat' file that clears the Windows print queue
  'When the file is executed it needs 'Administrator' privileges to execute (VISTA)
  '
  'NOTE: This only creates a 'new' file.  It will NOT OVERWRITE an existing file
  '
  '
  'The contents of the file are (without the leading 'single quotes':
  '
  '@echo off
  'if NOT exist %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.s?? goto END
  'net stop spooler
  'if exist %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.shd del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.shd /Q
  'if exist %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.spl del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.spl /Q
  'net start spooler
  ':END
  'exit
  
  Const sFile = "ClearPrintQueue.bat"
  
  Dim sTextFile As String
  Dim iFileNo As Integer


  
  Dim sPath As String
  Dim sPathAndFile As String
  
  'Get the path
  sPath = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\"
  
  'Create the full path and file name
  sPathAndFile = sPath & sFile
  
  
  'Create the file only if the file does not exist
  If (Dir(sPathAndFile) = "") Then
  
    'Allocate a file 'handle'
    iFileNo = FreeFile
  
    'Set error handler to close the file 'handle'
    On Error GoTo CLOSEFILE
  
    'Open the file for writing
    Open sPathAndFile For Output As #iFileNo
  
    'Write to the file
    Print #iFileNo, "@echo off"
    Print #iFileNo, "if NOT exist %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.s?? echo The print queue is is empty."
    Print #iFileNo, "if NOT exist %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.s?? goto END"
    Print #iFileNo, "net stop spooler"
    Print #iFileNo, "echo Deleting files from the print queue."
    Print #iFileNo, "if exist %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.shd del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.shd /Q"
    Print #iFileNo, "if exist %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.spl del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\*.spl /Q"
    Print #iFileNo, "net start spooler"
    Print #iFileNo, ":END"
    Print #iFileNo, "exit"
  
    'Close the file
CLOSEFILE:
    Close #iFileNo
    On Error GoTo 0
  End If

End Sub

Lewis

Thank you very much for the posts, they were very helpful. I have just started fumbling around with macros, and am trying to learn more about them, but I only get to work on them every now and then in down time. I have been using posts on the internet to help find my way around them. I'm considering buying a couple books off amazon on macros. Do either of you have a recomendation for a beginner?