I have an Excel sheet with multiple data columns. The data of the first column is filled by users, scanning a NFC tag, the content (MemberId) is copied to the active cell using an external tool that reads the data from an NFC reader (ACR122u-A9) and puts it in the active cell. However, when data in the other cells is entered (by desk employee), I want to block the NFC input temporary.
When starting the external application, I notice that it starts JAVA.

I implemented this using Excel’s ProcessSelectionChange event: when in first column, start the external application using the Exec_TaskStartByName routine (see below) and when switching to a different column, kill it using routine Exec_TaskKillByName (in fact kill the Java.exe).

As such, above works, but re-starting the application each time takes too much time, resulting in a “dead-time”, (tool not ready yet). Instead of starting/killing the application each time, I am wondering if a started process can be put “OnHold” (temp stop execution), so it does not need to re-started each time. Disable/Enable is expected to take less time then kill/start.

• If not, are there faster ways to start an external program than I use (see code below)?

I noted that if I do not execute the ChDir first in the Exec_TaskStartByName routine, the application is not started.

Any suggestions are welcome

*Function Exec_TaskStartByName( _
ByVal argFilePath As String, _
ByVal argFileName As String, _
ByRef argTaskId As Long)

' First switch to the appropriate directory before starting the command
ChDir (argFilePath)
argTaskId = Shell(argFilePath & argFileName, vbMinimizedFocus)

Exec_TaskStartByName = (argTaskId > 0)

End Function

Function Exec_TaskKillByName( _
ByVal argFileName)

Dim oServ As Object
Dim cProc As Variant
Dim oProc As Object


Set oServ = GetObject("winmgmts:")
Set cProc = oServ.ExecQuery("Select * from Win32_Process")

For Each oProc In cProc*
    If (oProc.Name = argFileName) Then
        Exec_TaskKillByName = oProc.Terminate
        Exit For

    End If
    
Next

End Function

See description, starting/killing the application with the provided code works, but starting takes to much time