Using Shell Statement to Access MS-DOS Prompt from WinWord

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

From within Microsoft Word, you can use the WordBasic or Visual Basic for Applications Shell statement to access the MS-DOS prompt. You can assign this macro to a key, a menu, or a button.

MORE INFORMATION

The following steps create a macro to access the MS-DOS prompt from within Word.

Word 97

1. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.

2. In the Macro Name box, type "dosprompt" (without the quotation marks), and click Create.

3. In the macro editing window, type the following macro text:

         Shell "command.com", 1
   

4. On the File menu, click "Close and Return to Microsoft Word."

Word for Windows Versions 6.0, 7.0

1. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.

2. In the Macro Name box, type "dosprompt" (without the quotation marks), and click Create.

3. In the macro editing window, type the following macro text:

         Shell "command.com", 1
   

4. On the File menu, click Close. Click Yes when prompted to save changes to the macro.

5. On the Tools menu, point to Customize, and select the Keyboard, Menu, or Toolbar Category to assign this macro to a key combination, menu, or toolbar button.

Word for Windows Version 2.0

1. From the Tools menu, choose Macro.

2. In the Macro Name box, type "dosprompt" (without the quotation marks), and then choose the Edit button.

3. In the macro editing window, type the following macro text:

         Shell "command.com", 1
   

4. From the File menu, choose Close. Choose the Yes button when prompted to save changes to the macro.

5. From the Tools menu, choose Options, and select the Keyboard, Menu, or Toolbar Category to assign this macro to a key combination, menu or tool bar button.

Word for Windows Version 1.x

1. From the Macro menu, choose Edit.

2. In the Edit Macro Name box, type "dosprompt" (without the quotation marks), and press the OK button.

3. In the macro editing window, type the following macro text:

         Sub MAIN
         Shell "command.com", 1
         End Sub
   
      Note: In the Shell line, the following arguments can be used:
   
         0 for minimized window
         1 for normal window
         3 for maximized window
         4 for deactivated window
   
   

4. From the File menu, choose Close. Choose the Yes button when prompted to save changes to the macro.

5. From the Macro menu, you can choose the Assign to Key, or Assign to Menu commands to assign this macro to a key sequence or menu.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word for Windows and OS/2 Technical Reference," page 257