[AccessD] A2K: Using the shell() function

Hi Steven

I hate to repeat myself, but having had a similar experience, I would
recommend to use the 3D-FTP engine which works extremely reliable:

  http://www.3dftp.com

and the API guide:

  http://www.3dftp.com/api.htm

As it runs multi-threaded uploads are very fast.
However, if USD 40 is too much, go and get the free wcl_ftp14 at:

  http://www.pacific.net/~ken/software/

Note the link to a ready-to-use Access 2000 module some nice guy has
contributed.

It is not as versatile as 3D-FTP (which I can offer you a code snippet
for) but it does feature a visual indication which is what the users
request for large batch uploads.

/gustav


> I'm in the thick of writing a custom EDI purchase order processing application in Access 2000. The 850 purchase orders are downloaded from the VAN (Value Added Network) mailbox using Windows FTP
> commands in a DOS batch file, and the additional documents (855 PO Acknowledgment, 856 Advance Ship Notice, 810 Invoice, and 997 Functional Acknowledgment) are uploaded to the mailbox with another
> DOS batch file using Windows FTP commands.

> The process works, but I've had to insert MsgBox statements in the Access code alerting the user that he should wait until the DOS batch file has completed processing the FTP commands and is closed
> before continuing with the Access stuff.

> My question is this: do any of you lot have any techniques for 1) determining when a DOS batch file has finished (that is, the title bar of the DOS window says "Finished"); and 2) closing those
> windows without user intervention?

> I'm just about ready to tell my client that he should buy WS_FTP Pro so that we can set up a macro or whatever you do in WS_FTP to automagically download and upload and close the WS_FTP program.
> I'm still not sure about what to do in Access so that it knows that an external application has completed its operations. Is this a DDE thing?

> I've been experimenting with the FMS Total Visual Sourcebook that I bought some time ago. It has a class library and some sample code for logging into an FTP site and selecting and downloading
> files. I just know, however, that my client will balk at the additional delay while I figure out an Access-only method for getting and sending EDI documents.

> The DOS batch thing works but there are the additional clicks involved with closing the DOS window and then clicking the MsgBox OK button to continue processing. Any ideas?