Classic VB - How do I open a file/web-page in its default application?

[sciguyryan]

To perform either of these tasks you can use the ShellExecute API function as shown below.

ShellExecute basically tells Windows to open the item as if you had double-clicked it in Windows Explorer.


'in General-Declarations:
Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" ( _
ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal lpOperation As String, _
ByVal lpFile As String, _
ByVal lpParameters As String, _
ByVal lpDirectory As String, _
ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long


'Example code:
'open a file
ShellExecute Me.hWnd, "open", "c:\My folder\Test.doc", vbNullString, "C:\", ByVal 1&

'open a web page
ShellExecute Me.hWnd, "open", "http://www.VBForums.com", vbNullString, "C:\", ByVal 1&


Here are two useful Subs for you, which will make the code easier to write:

Private Sub OpenAFile(strFileLocation As String)
'Just call the OpenAFile sub with the path of the file to open as its parameter.
If Dir$(strFileLocation) = "" Then
Exit Sub
End If
ShellExecute Me.hWnd, "open", strFileLocation, vbNullString, "C:\", ByVal 1&
End Sub

Private Sub OpenURL(strURL As String)
'Just call the OpenURL sub with the URL of the webpage to open as its parameter.

ShellExecute Me.hWnd, "open", strURL, vbNullString, "C:\", ByVal 1&
End Sub


'Example code (same effect as the examples above)
Call OpenURL("http://www.VBForums.com")
Call OpenAFile("c:\My folder\Test.doc")



:)


Cheers,

RyanJ