Howdy all,  hope you have time for a question for a newbie.

Specific question:  Why won't VB execute a shortcut, just like any other
program with the Shell function and AppActivate?

Application:  I'm trying to write a program to use to close down faxworks
and open dial-up networking to get on the Internet, and then do the
opposite when I log off.  To close faxworks, I have put the focus on that
window and SendKeys Alt F4 to faxworks.  Then I should be able to open
dial-up networking by executing the shortcut on my desktop to my internet
connection:

MyAppID = Shell("c:\windows\desktop\isp.lnk", 1)    
AppActivate MyAppID

where isp.lnk is the name of the shortcut to the internet connection in the
dial-up networking system folder.

Unfortunately when I try this, I get a Run-time error 5:  Invalid procedure
call.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.  Please send all mail to

Dan Magidson

Dan-
        Try either one of these.
_____snip-____________________________________
Option Explicit

Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias _
    "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, _
    ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpParameters As String, _
    ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    Dim ret&
    ret = ShellExecute(Me.hwnd, "", _
        "c:\windows\desktop\isp.lnk", _
        "", "", 1)
    ' This should work, too
    'ret = Shell("rundll32.exe rnaui.dll,RnaDial " & "ISP", 1)
End Sub
_____________________________snip_________________
--
***********************************************************

http://www.tiac.net/users/lvasseur/freeware.html
Resume, etc:
http://www.tiac.net/users/lvasseur/index.html
"Recompense injury with justice, and recompense
kindness with kindness."   Confucius
**********************************************************