How to load a python script via batch file having a pss/e application running

answered 2018-03-21 10:44:53 -0500

hunter2
11 ●1 ●1 ●2

If I'm understanding your question correctly, it sounds like you are trying to open an instance of PSSE and have that instance of PSSE execute a Python script. If an instance of PSSE is already open, then you want to control that instance and get it to execute your Python script. And this is all done by some vba code that creates a Windows batch file.

If that's correct, then your problem is with Windows process management. For security reasons, an operating system won't let one application's process directly interact with another application's process. On other words, you will need to open a new instance of PSSE every time. Windows will not let your vba script look for an open instance of PSSE and directly interact with it.

Elaborate more on what you are trying to accomplish with your vba scipt, and I might be able to help with a workaround.

answered 2018-03-21 12:35:42 -0500

jconto
2601 ●10 ●30 ●40

I agree with hunter2. Your vba script is creating a batch *.bat file to drive PSSe with a python script as argument. You can also call directly PSSe within the vba script. But you only have one opportunity to pass a script to PSSe. Once PSSe is running, it cannot be controlled from 'outside it.'

A workaround to execute multiple python scripts is to force PSSe to quit within the first python script and repeat the process of opening PSSe with a second script. Another workaround is let the batch file call PSSe with a 'master python script' that will 'execfile' multiple python scripts, each to perform different PSSe activities.

A better option (IMHO) is to drop vba for python to call PSSe's API functions, so PSSe is not running explicitly but through its API (see code for dyntools_demo.py in the EXAMPLE folder of the PTI installation - C:\Program Files (x86)\PTI\PSSE33\EXAMPLE) Now you can call as many python scripts as needed or implement their content as functions within this 'main' python code.