Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim RetVal as double
Dim dblRV as double, strFN as string

'Open a specific file by storing app & filespec
'in a variable, then arguing that variable in
'a Shell call

strFN = "notepad.exe " & app.path & "\some.txt"

dlbRV = Shell(strFN, vbNormalFocus)

RetVal = Shell("C:\myprog\speakeas\speakeas.exe", 1)

'Runs an executable program and returns a Variant (Double) representing the program's task ID if successful, otherwise it returns zero.
'
'Syntax
'
'Shell(pathname[,windowstyle])
'
'The Shell function syntax has thesenamed arguments:
'
'Part Description
'pathname Required; Variant (String). Name of the program to execute and any requiredarguments orcommand-line switches; may include directory or folder and drive.
'windowstyle Optional. Variant (Integer) corresponding to the style of the window in which the program is to be run. If windowstyle is omitted, the program is started minimized with focus.
'
'
'The windowstyle named argument has these values:
'
'
'Constant Value Description
'vbHide 0 Window is hidden and focus is passed to the hidden window.
'vbNormalFocus 1 Window has focus and is restored to its original size and position.
'vbMinimizedFocus 2 Window is displayed as an icon with focus.
'vbMaximizedFocus 3 Window is maximized with focus.
'vbNormalNoFocus 4 Window is restored to its most recent size and position. The currently active window remains active.
'vbMinimizedNoFocus 6 Window is displayed as an icon. The currently active window remains active.
'
'
'Remarks
'
'If the Shell function successfully executes the named file, it returns the task ID of the started program. The task ID is a unique number that identifies the running program. If the Shell function can't start the named program, an error occurs.
'
'Note   By default, the Shell function runs other programs asynchronously. This means that a program started with Shell might not finish executing before the statements following the Shell function are executed.

End Sub