Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: DOS From Macros.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 25, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Macros are a wonderful way to expand the functionality of a program such as Excel. You may, however, want to expand that functionality even more by executing a DOS batch file from your macro. Excel allows you to do this by using the Shell command. The general syntax for the command is as follows:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
dRetVal = Shell("myfile.bat", mode)
Within the quote marks you can place the full path name and file name of the file you want to execute. On some systems you may experience problems if you use a path name with the file specification. (This seems to crop its ugly head if you have complex path names or if the path name includes spaces.) If you have this problem, then simply use the ChDir command just prior to Shell in order to change the directory used by Excel. You can then execute Shell using just a file name.
The mode indicator simply tells Excel how you want the window opened for the file to appear. The mode indicator can be any of the following:
| Value | Variable Nam | Meaning | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | vbHide | Window is hidden and has focus. | ||
| 1 | vbNormalFocus | Window is the normal size and has focus. | ||
| 2 | vbMinimizedFocus | Window is minimized and has focus. | ||
| 3 | vbMaximizedFocus | Window is maximized and has focus. | ||
| 4 | vbNormalNoFocus | Window is normal size, but doesn't have focus. | ||
| 6 | vbMinimizedNoFocus | Window is minimized, but doesn't have focus. |
The Shell command returns a value that indicates the program ID of the file you executed, or else a zero. If a zero is returned, then there was an error executing the file.
You should remember that when you use Shell, the target file is executed right away, and it is executed independently of Excel. This means that the next macro command, in your Excel macro, is immediately executed without waiting for the Shell target file to finish. If you need a way around this behavior, you may be interested in this page at Chip Pearson's website:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/ShellAndWait.aspx
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9843) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: DOS From Macros.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2013 For Dummies today!
Does your macro need to get some input from a user? Here are the ways that Excel provides for that input to be solicited.
Discover MoreDisabling function keys is rather easy to do when you rely on the OnKey method in a macro. This tip looks at how you can ...
Discover MoreIt is possible to create macros that send out reports, via e-mail, from within Excel. Frank did this and ran into ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2021-12-25 10:50:12
J. Woolley
My Excel Toolbox includes the following function to create a hyperlink that will run a Shell command:
RunCommandLink(Command_Line, [Friendly_Name], [Screen_Tip])
If Command_Line begins with HIDE:: (ignoring alphabetic case), the remainder will be run in a hidden Shell window (vbHide); otherwise, vbNormalFocus will apply. The function returns Friendly_Name (like the HYPERLINK and SuperLink functions) and adds a hyperlink Screen_Tip (like the SuperLink function). Here are three cell formula examples:
="Click to run "&RunCommandLink("myfile.bat","my batch file")
=RunCommandLink("Notepad.exe ""My Note.txt""",,"Click to run")
=RunCommandLink("Hide::cmd /k dir > ""Dir.txt"" && Notepad ""Dir.txt""")
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments