What did you try? And what error messages did you get, if any?
Did you try manually in cmd and did it work?

I can open up cmd on the PC and ping 192.168.1.1 with no issue.  I tried this Shell "ping 8.8.8.8", vbNormalFocus and it returns invalid procedure call or argument then I tried to just open a command prompt with Shell "cmd.exe", vbNormalFocus and I get the same error.  then I tried the full path Shell "c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe", vbNormalFocus and still the same error

Shell(Program,WindowStyle)

Can you try Shell("ping 8.8.8.8", vbNormalFocus) instead?

C:\> where ping
| C:\Windows\System32\PING.EXE

ping

I tried both Shell("ping 8.8.8.8", vbNormalFocus) and Shell("C:\Windows\System32\PING.EXE 8.8.8.8", vbNormalFocus) and both return a compile error syntax error.  I even tried Shell("C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe", vbNormalFocus) just to see if I could get a command prompt to show up and I get the same error

Are you running this from a button click?

What's the full code you're using?

Hi Dan, you may be using incorrect syntax.

If you don't request a return value, don't use parentheses:

    Shell "ping yahoo.com", vbNormalFocus

Use parentheses if you request a return value (to confirm a successful execution):

    Dim r As Variant
    r = Shell("ping yahoo.com", vbNormalFocus)

ok I tried Dim r As Variant
    r = Shell("ping yahoo.com", vbNormalFocus) and I get invalid procedure or argument.  I also tried Shell "ping yahoo.com", vbNormalFocus and I get the same result

Alex, currently I am using a button but once I get it working I plan to use it as a double click event where you double click on the machine name and it will ping it or you can double click on the IP address and it will ping it.  the full code I am currently using is this


Private Sub Command15_Click()
Shell "ping yahoo.com", vbNormalFocus
End Sub

Let's try using ping without using Shell:

    Dim ws As Variant
    Set ws = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
    ws.Run "ping yahoo.com"

This above code is VBScript, which is VBA little brother.  It is often used in ASP, but can be used in VBA environment too.  It creates a "Windows Scripting" object, which can run commands just like Shell.

I tried
Dim ws As Variant
    Set ws = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
    ws.Run "ping yahoo.com"
and now I get a permission denied error

You may be lacking permission and/or administrative rights to certain files and folders.

Now try:

    Shell "msaccess", vbNormalFocus

It will open another instance of Access.  Since you are already running Access, you most likely already have the fullest rights to the files and folders set up for Access (and Office).

Try running Word too:

    Shell "msword", vbNormalFocus

If this is a business environment and you have an IT person overseeing all the computer users, you may talk with him or her to see if your rights are indeed restricted.

I do have full administrative rights here at work but I can try at home tonight

well son of a biscuit eater that was it!  Corporate has been blocking me!   I tried the ping command from home and......It worked!  then I tried a longer command that I found elsewhere
Private Sub IpAddress_DblClick(Cancel As Integer)
    If IsNull(IpAddress) Then Exit Sub
    Dim strCommand
    Dim iRet

    strCommand = "%SystemRoot%\system32\ping.exe -n 1 -l 1 -w 500 " & IpAddress
    iRet = fShellRun(strCommand)

    If iRet <> 0 Then
        MsgBox "Not Connected"
    Else
        MsgBox "Connected!"
    End If
End Sub
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Function fShellRun(sCommandStringToExecute)

        ' This function will accept a string as a DOS command to execute.
        ' It will then execute the command in a shell, and returns the command
        ' return code to the caller.

        ' "ComputerName" is a user-selected global variable

        Dim oShellObject

        Set oShellObject = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

        On Error Resume Next
        fShellRun = oShellObject.Run(sCommandStringToExecute, 0, True)

End Function
which actually gave me the end result I was looking for and that worked as well but at work both refused to run!  Time to reach out to corporate