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REFERENCE

U.START_PROCESS

Summary

Starts a new Windows process

Syntax

=U.START_PROCESS(target, [args], [await_exit], [config], [creds_resource], [block])

Parameters

Parameter Required Description
target Yes The path to the file to be launched, or name of Web site to be opened with default browser or app to launch. If the ID or name of an existing process and config is set, then config is applied to that process (unless config key newProcess=TRUE). If not otherwise found, a file with specified name is searched for in directory (and subdirectories) of current workbook
[args] No Command line args to be included when starting the new process. Must be provided as a single string, so double quotes must be placed around paths containing spaces, etc, as would be required when entering via the Windows command line
[await_exit] No If set to TRUE then method will block until the started process has exited. A timeout can be set by providing a positive integer to represent the timeout in seconds, though in either case a max timeout of 75 seconds is enforced. If the values are provided in a row vector, a 2nd value of TRUE will cause the process to be killed in the event of a timeout
[config] No A string in the format of "config(=,=) containing miscellaneous properties that can be configured for the process. Supported keys are as follows: fromTop, fromLeft, width, height, minimized (or min), maximized (or max), normal, hidden and configwait
[creds_resource] No The name of the resource saved with U.SAVE_CREDENTIALS whose username and password should be used when running process. The domain of current Windows user is assumed unless the username in the resource is in the format DOMAIN\USERNAME or USERNAME@DOMAIN. By default processes are run under the current user's Windows account
[block] No If set to TRUE then method will not be calculated unless triggered by user interaction or calculated as a step in a script; If set to a number then will be throttled to not calculate more frequently than the specified number of seconds; make number negative to prevent auto recalc of blocked methods

Behavior

The documented public interface is supported by the current U Add-in source signature and the maintained Usage Examples workbook. Optional parameters are shown in square brackets in the syntax above; omit the brackets when entering a formula.

Return Value

Returns the function result or action status described by the formula and parameters above. The maintained sources do not define a narrower, stable return contract for this function.

Examples

=U.START_PROCESS(B5)

Notes

  • Formula examples are preserved from maintained workbook usage and normalized to the current U. prefix.
  • Complete formulas demonstrate working patterns; they do not imply that undocumented option values are supported.
  • Where maintained sources do not specify every accepted value, default, or error message, this page does not infer one.
  • For functions that perform actions, use a visible trigger or supported block/throttle parameter to avoid unintended repetition during recalculation.