Arena Simulation Start and Close in VBA

Question

currently I am using Arena Simulation for an acadamic project. I want to start the a model of the acadamic Arena version via VBA, run the model and close it automatically.

Until now the Arena model opens but is not running. The click on the run button (to start the model simulation) in Arena is missing. How can I "click" the run button in VBA?

My current code section:

Private Function ExecuteArena(ByVal arenaFile As String, ByVal arenaPath As String)

On Error GoTo ErrorHandler

''' Clear the error mesaage variable.
gszErrMsg = vbNullString

''' Shell out
If Not bShellAndWait(arenaPath & " " & arenaFile & " ", 6) Then Err.Raise 9999

Exit Function

ErrorHandler:
''' If we ran into any errors this will explain what they are.
MsgBox gszErrMsg, vbCritical, "Shell and Wait Error"

End Function

   Private Function bShellAndWait(ByVal szCommandLine As String, Optional ByVal iWindowState As Integer = vbHide) As Boolean
Dim lTaskID As Long
Dim lProcess As Long
Dim lExitCode As Long 
Dim lResult As Long

On Error GoTo ErrorHandler

''' Run the Shell function.
lTaskID = Shell(szCommandLine, iWindowState)

''' Check for errors.
If lTaskID = 0 Then Err.Raise 9999, , "Shell function error."

''' Get the process handle from the task ID returned by Shell.
lProcess = OpenProcess(PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION, 0&, lTaskID)

''' Check for errors.
If lProcess = 0 Then Err.Raise 9999, , "Unable to open Shell process handle."

''' Loop while the shelled process is still running. 
Do
 ''' lExitCode will be set to STILL_ACTIVE as long as the shelled process is running.
 lResult = GetExitCodeProcess(lProcess, lExitCode)
 DoEvents
Loop While lExitCode = STILL_ACTIVE

bShellAndWait = True
Exit Function

ErrorHandler:
 gszErrMsg = Err.Description
 bShellAndWait = False
End Function

Answer 1

I found the answer to my question. First you have to activate the Arena Libary in VBA. Extra-->References--> select "Arena 14.0 Type Library". Then you can open, run and end an Arena model with this code.

'Declare variables
Dim oArenaApp As Arena.Application
Dim oModel As Arena.Model, oSIMAN As Arena.SIMAN
Dim oModule As Arena.Module

'Start Arena, open model, make Arena active & visible
Set oArenaApp = CreateObject("Arena.Application")
ModName = "YOUR FILEPATH"
Set oModel = oArenaApp.Models.Open(ModName)
Set oSIMAN = oModel.SIMAN
oArenaApp.Activate
oArenaApp.Visible = True

'Run model in batch mode and send results back to Excel
oModel.BatchMode = True ' Turn off animation
oModel.QuietMode = True ' Do not ask final question
oModel.Go (smGoWait) ' Suspend VB until run ends    

'End model run and exit Arena
oModel.End
oArenaApp.Visible = False