Activates an application window.
Syntax
AppActivate title, [ wait ]
The AppActivate statement syntax has these named arguments:
| Part | Description |
|---|---|
| title | Required. String expression specifying the title in the title bar of the application window you want to activate. The task ID returned by the Shell function can be used in place of title to activate an application. |
| wait | Optional. Boolean value specifying whether the calling application has the focus before activating another. If False (default), the specified application is immediately activated, even if the calling application does not have the focus. If True, the calling application waits until it has the focus, and then activates the specified application. |
Remarks
The AppActivate statement changes the focus to the named application or window but does not affect whether it is maximized or minimized. Focus moves from the activated application window when the user takes some action to change the focus or close the window. Use the Shell function to start an application and set the window style.
In determining which application to activate, title is compared to the title string of each running application. If there is no exact match, any application whose title string begins with title is activated. If there is more than one instance of the application named by title, one instance is arbitrarily activated.
Example
This example illustrates various uses of the AppActivate statement to activate an application window. The Shell statements assume that the applications are in the paths specified. On the Macintosh, the default drive name is "HD" and portions of the pathname are separated by colons instead of backslashes.
Dim MyAppID, ReturnValue
AppActivate "Microsoft Word" ' Activate Microsoft Word.
' AppActivate can also use the return value of the Shell function.
MyAppID = Shell("C:\WORD\WINWORD.EXE", 1) ' Run Microsoft Word.
AppActivate MyAppID ' Activate Microsoft Word.
' You can also use the return value of the Shell function.
ReturnValue = Shell("c:\EXCEL\EXCEL.EXE", 1) ' Run Microsoft Excel.
AppActivate ReturnValue ' Activate Microsoft Excel.
It Doesn't work.
Public Sub UseCalculator()
Dim ReturnValue As Double
Dim I
ReturnValue = Shell("CALC.EXE", 1) ' Run Calculator.
DoEvents: Application.Wait Now() + TimeSerial(0, 0, 1): DoEvents
'===============
AppActivate ReturnValue ' Activate the Calculator."
' Error Here: Run-time error '5'. Invalid procedure call or argument
' The fix is to use the title (very dangerous), not the ID (ID is preferred)
AppActivate "Calculator" ' Activate the Calculator."
'===============
DoEvents: Application.Wait Now() + 0.0000005: DoEvents
For I = 1 To 5 ' Set up counting loop.
SendKeys "{+}", True ' Send keystrokes to Calculator
DoEvents: Application.Wait Now() + 0.00001: DoEvents
SendKeys I, True ' Send keystrokes to Calculator
DoEvents: Application.Wait Now() + 0.00001: DoEvents
Next I ' to add each value of I.
SendKeys "=", True ' Get grand total.
DoEvents: Application.Wait Now() + TimeSerial(0, 0, 5): DoEvents
SendKeys "%{F4}", True ' Send ALT+F4 to close Calculator.
End Sub
@Dominic Vella I Don't know why AppActivate can't activate Calc's task ID, but activating notpad.exe has no problem.