Sequential Auto Launch of exe's

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jay Crouse
  • Start date Start date
J

Jay Crouse

I am trying to use Powerpoint as a distributable sales
piece with the opportunity to setup a demo account at the
end. This requires launching three sequential
InstallShields. No matter what I try I can only get one
to launch. It runs fine then leaves me staring at the
slide hoping that the next file will launch.

I could live with multiple icons to click if I had to but
this would much more eloquent.
 
I am trying to use Powerpoint as a distributable sales
piece with the opportunity to setup a demo account at the
end. This requires launching three sequential
InstallShields. No matter what I try I can only get one
to launch. It runs fine then leaves me staring at the
slide hoping that the next file will launch.
Click to expand...

It'd help to know very specifically how you're launching the setup now.

Another thing to look into is whether the first installshield setup can, at
completion, launch the next one.





--
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================
Featured Presenter, PowerPoint Live 2004
October 10-13, San Diego, CA www.PowerPointLive.com
================================================
 
I've tried using the action setting and then tried
duplicating its action in the VBA edit screen and I've
tried recording a macro as well as looking at a VB manual
and trying to use the Shell Command to launch the
installers.

In all cases I seem to end up with three subroutines and
only the first will execute.

At some point in the future the Install Shield will be
redone to bring everything under one executable, but that
future is not soon enough for my needs(typical salesman).

I don't have the knowledge to launch one application from
the preceding one, it would have to be done by our
development team and they are swamped at the moment.

Any suggestions are appreciated.
 
I've tried using the action setting and then tried
duplicating its action in the VBA edit screen and I've
tried recording a macro as well as looking at a VB manual
and trying to use the Shell Command to launch the
installers.

In all cases I seem to end up with three subroutines and
only the first will execute.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but when I said specifics, I mean hardcore, obsessive, only an
anal-retentive's mother could love 'em specifics. ;-)

What exact action setting did you use?
What macro code did you add? What's the content of the subroutines?
At some point in the future the Install Shield will be
redone to bring everything under one executable, but that
future is not soon enough for my needs(typical salesman).

I don't have the knowledge to launch one application from
the preceding one, it would have to be done by our
development team and they are swamped at the moment.
Click to expand...

OK, I hear that. Whatever happens, it's got to happen in PPT.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Click to expand...

--
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================
Featured Presenter, PowerPoint Live 2004
October 10-13, San Diego, CA www.PowerPointLive.com
================================================
 
Steve,

Guess I could have been a little more forthcoming, just
asumed that you could read my mind.

In the Action Setting, I right clicked on the logo,
selected "ActionSettings" Clicked on Run Program and
Browsed to my first executable. That works fine for that
one document, but I didn't see any way to launch the
second and third.

As to the Macro it looked like this:

Sub Launch()
'
' Macro recorded 6/28/2004 by
'

ActiveWindow.Selection.SlideRange.Shapes("Picture
2").Select
With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.ActionSettings
(ppMouseClick)
.Run = "C:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install
Files\IWS_Client_2512.exe"
.SoundEffect.Type = ppSoundNone
.AnimateAction = msoFalse
End With
With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.ActionSettings
(ppMouseClick)
.Run = "C:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install Files\
IWS_BrowserPlugin_2512.exe "
.SoundEffect.Type = ppSoundNone
.AnimateAction = msoFalse
End With
With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.ActionSettings
(ppMouseClick)
.Run = "C:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install Files\
Placeware_251.exe "
.SoundEffect.Type = ppSoundNone
.AnimateAction = msoFalse
End With

With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.ActionSettings
(ppMouseOver)
.Action = ppActionNone
.SoundEffect.Type = ppSoundNone
.AnimateAction = msoFalse
End With
End Sub


My attempt at using the shell command looks like:

Public Sub IWS_Client_2512()
Dim IWSClientVal
IWSClientVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install
Files\IWS_Client_2512.exe", 1)

End Sub

Public Sub IWS_Browser_Plugin()
Dim IwspiVal
IwspiVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install
Files\IWS_BrowserPlugin_2512.exe", 1)

End Sub

Public Sub Placeware()
Dim PWVal
PWVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install
Files\Placeware_251.exe", 1)

End Sub


Each individual subroutine does its job individually, but
if I run from the presentation only the first segment runs
and then it stops.

I am sure it is something reasonably simple if I
understood VB or Macros, and I should take some time to
learn the basics before attempting the the more complex.
Unfortunately time doesn't permit.

Thanks for your continued interest and patience.

Jay
-----Original Message-----
I've tried using the action setting and then tried
duplicating its action in the VBA edit screen and I've
tried recording a macro as well as looking at a VB manual
and trying to use the Shell Command to launch the
installers.

In all cases I seem to end up with three subroutines and
only the first will execute.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but when I said specifics, I mean hardcore, obsessive, only an
anal-retentive's mother could love 'em specifics. ;-)

What exact action setting did you use?
What macro code did you add? What's the content of the subroutines?
At some point in the future the Install Shield will be
redone to bring everything under one executable, but that
future is not soon enough for my needs(typical salesman).

I don't have the knowledge to launch one application from
the preceding one, it would have to be done by our
development team and they are swamped at the moment.
Click to expand...

OK, I hear that. Whatever happens, it's got to happen in PPT.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
-----Original Message-----
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Guess I could have been a little more forthcoming, just
asumed that you could read my mind.
Click to expand...

Normally I can, but my own mind got annoyed at something I said and left me
years ago.
In the Action Setting, I right clicked on the logo,
selected "ActionSettings" Clicked on Run Program and
Browsed to my first executable. That works fine for that
one document, but I didn't see any way to launch the
second and third.
Click to expand...

Wild and crazy guess, but try a run program setting like:

"ThisFile.EXE" && "ThatFile.EXE" && "TheOtherFile.EXE"

Or you could launch THISFILE.BAT which contains:

@echo off
ThisFile.exe
ThatFile.exe
; etc.
exit

As to the Macro it looked like this:

Sub Launch()
'
' Macro recorded 6/28/2004 by
'

ActiveWindow.Selection.SlideRange.Shapes("Picture
2").Select
With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.ActionSettings
(ppMouseClick)
.Run = "C:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install
Files\IWS_Client_2512.exe"
.SoundEffect.Type = ppSoundNone
.AnimateAction = msoFalse
End With
With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.ActionSettings
(ppMouseClick)
.Run = "C:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install Files\
IWS_BrowserPlugin_2512.exe "
.SoundEffect.Type = ppSoundNone
.AnimateAction = msoFalse
End With
With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.ActionSettings
(ppMouseClick)
.Run = "C:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install Files\
Placeware_251.exe "
.SoundEffect.Type = ppSoundNone
.AnimateAction = msoFalse
End With

With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.ActionSettings
(ppMouseOver)
.Action = ppActionNone
.SoundEffect.Type = ppSoundNone
.AnimateAction = msoFalse
End With
End Sub

My attempt at using the shell command looks like:

Public Sub IWS_Client_2512()
Dim IWSClientVal
IWSClientVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install
Files\IWS_Client_2512.exe", 1)

End Sub

Public Sub IWS_Browser_Plugin()
Dim IwspiVal
IwspiVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install
Files\IWS_BrowserPlugin_2512.exe", 1)

End Sub

Public Sub Placeware()
Dim PWVal
PWVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia
Employee\My Documents\IWS Install
Files\Placeware_251.exe", 1)

End Sub

Each individual subroutine does its job individually, but
if I run from the presentation only the first segment runs
and then it stops.
Click to expand...

Try something like:

Public Sub AllThree()
Dim RetVal as Long
' Watch out for the line breaks here!
RetVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia Employee\My Documents\IWS
Install Files\IWS_Client_2512.exe", 1)

RetVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia Employee\My Documents\IWS
Install Files\IWS_BrowserPlugin_2512.exe", 1)

RetVal = Shell("c:\Documents and Settings\Ezenia Employee\My Documents\IWS
Install Files\Placeware_251.exe", 1)

End sub

That should launch them one after the other in one go.

Thanks for your continued interest and patience.

Jay
-----Original Message-----
I've tried using the action setting and then tried
duplicating its action in the VBA edit screen and I've
tried recording a macro as well as looking at a VB manual
and trying to use the Shell Command to launch the
installers.

In all cases I seem to end up with three subroutines and
only the first will execute.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but when I said specifics, I mean hardcore, obsessive, only an
anal-retentive's mother could love 'em specifics. ;-)

What exact action setting did you use?
What macro code did you add? What's the content of the subroutines?
At some point in the future the Install Shield will be
redone to bring everything under one executable, but that
future is not soon enough for my needs(typical salesman).

I don't have the knowledge to launch one application from
the preceding one, it would have to be done by our
development team and they are swamped at the moment.
Click to expand...

OK, I hear that. Whatever happens, it's got to happen in PPT.
Any suggestions are appreciated.

-----Original Message-----
Click to expand...

--
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================
Featured Presenter, PowerPoint Live 2004
October 10-13, San Diego, CA www.PowerPointLive.com
================================================
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