I'm using a batch file "catff.bat" to concatenate a bunch of files.
Catff.bat is called from Word using the shell command, then the
concancatenated file is opened in Word and formatted.The problem is
that the Word macro tries to open the file before the batch file is
finished.

I *did* find a solution to this problem but unfortunately it doesn't
work. There a knowledge base article on this subject at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/212547. You test whether the task
called from shell exists and wait until it no longer exists. Here's the
example given:

Sub IsTaskRunning()
  ' If file does not exist, GoTo error trap.
  On Error GoTo itrErrTrap
  ' Run sample batch file in MS-DOS window.
  Shell "c:\test.bat"
  Do
     ' Note: When specifying the Application name
     ' with the Exists(Name) argument, omit the
     ' Application extension.
     test = Tasks.Exists("test")
  Loop Until  test = 0
  MsgBox "The application has quit."
itrErrTrap: ' Note: This line must be left aligned.
  If Err > 0 then MsgBox Err.Description
End Sub

I found that if I'd opened the batch file in a text editor then the
macro will go into an infinite loop. Same thing if I've opened a log
file "catff.log". But otherwise "test = Tasks.Exists("catff")" is
always false. The loop is bypassed and the same errors occur.

Part of the problem could be that I can't seem to run
shell("[path]\catff"). The only way I can get it to work is to  use
shell("cmd /c "[path]\catff"") (the quotes actually get quite
complicated here). But I've also tried Tasks.Exists("cmd"), that has no
effect. Unless I've got a command shell open, then the macro hangs.
Usually I run shell with the second argument vbHide, other settings
have no effect. Using "cmd /k" also has no effect.

Does anyone know of a way to get this macro example to work? Or an
alternative method to make VBA wait until a shell command has
completed? I'm using Word 2000 under Win2000 BTW, almost forgot that.

Advance thanks,
John Hendrickx