Shell to a new browser to open a URL

[kleinma]

In .NET, you can navigate to a website, simply by typing

process.start("www.vbforums.com")

but the problem with this, is that it will open vbforums website in a browser window you already have open...

There is no way to specify to open a new instance of IE (or another webbrowser)

You could simply launch IE with the website as a commandline arg, but what if the user doesn't want to use IE? It is better to not depend on a specific browser...

My code simply creates a temporary HTM file, then finds what exe is associated with HTM files on the system, and launches that browser and navigates to the page.

http://www.vbforums.com/attachment.p...chmentid=33874

[h4finger]

why don't use this command

shell "explorer.exe http://vbforums.com"

[kleinma]

Originally Posted by h4finger

why don't use this command

shell "explorer.exe http://vbforums.com"

because that limits the functionality to ONLY internet explorer, and assumes the user has IE installed as a browser. While it is true that IE must be installed on new windows OS (I think 2k and higher) because it is integrated into the windows shell, it is still possible to disable it as a webbrowser for those who don't like IE (or its restricted as a company policy)

This code will shell your DEFAULT browser, which means if you use firefox, netscape, opera, etc... this will shell THAT browser to the desired page.

make sense?

[jmcilhinney]

Just a point of clarification. If IE is your default browser and you call Process.Start and pass it only a URL, its behaviour depends on the "Reuse windows for launching shortcuts" option on the Advanced tab of the Internet Options dialogue. If that option is ticked then a current window will used to display the new URL if one is open. If that option is not ticked then a new window will always be opened for the new URL whether there is already a window open or not.

[gigemboy]

I just tested process.start in my vb.net 2002... and FireFox opened ... my default browser

[kleinma]

and? that is normal functionality

[dynamic_sysop]

i suppose you could also use the default browser value thats stored in the registry under this key ...
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell\open\command ( the ' Default ' key ) to open your browser with the default rather than IE
in that case i'd do something like this ...

[color=Blue]Private Sub[/color] Button1_Click([color=Blue]ByVal[/color] sender [color=Blue]As[/color] System.Object, [color=Blue]ByVal[/color] e [color=Blue]As[/color] System.EventArgs) [color=Blue]Handles[/color] Button1.Click
        [color=Green]'/// path to default webbrowser in registry...[/color]
        [color=Blue]Dim[/color] browserKey [color=Blue]As[/color] Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey = Microsoft.Win32.Registry.ClassesRoot.OpenSubKey("htmlfile\shell\open\command", [color=Blue]False[/color])
       [color=Green] '/// get the actuall path from between the " "[/color]
        [color=Blue]Dim[/color] defaultBrowser [color=Blue]As String[/color] = [color=Blue]DirectCast[/color](browserKey.GetValue([color=Blue]Nothing[/color], [color=Blue]Nothing[/color]), [color=Blue]String[/color]).Split([color=Blue]Chr[/color](34))(1)
        [color=Green]'/// open the default browser, with the specified path...[/color]
        launchBrowser(defaultBrowser, "http://msn.co.uk/")

    [color=Blue]End Sub[/color]

    [color=Blue]Private Sub[/color] launchBrowser([color=Blue]ByVal[/color] browser [color=Blue]As String[/color], [color=Blue]ByVal[/color] url [color=Blue]As String[/color])
        [color=Blue]Try[/color]
            Process.Start(browser, url)
        [color=Blue]Catch[/color] ex [color=Blue]As[/color] Exception
            MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
        [color=Blue]End Try[/color]
    [color=Blue]End Sub[/color] 

goes to show there are various ways

[mregina]

I have a followup question to this, the URL I'd like to be able to browse to is different depending on the customer number the form is looking at...I have the unique URLS in a a field in my table..how do I tell this shell command to use *that* specific URL?

Originally Posted by dynamic_sysop

i suppose you could also use the default browser value thats stored in the registry under this key ...
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell\open\command ( the ' Default ' key ) to open your browser with the default rather than IE
in that case i'd do something like this ...

[color=Blue]Private Sub[/color] Button1_Click([color=Blue]ByVal[/color] sender [color=Blue]As[/color] System.Object, [color=Blue]ByVal[/color] e [color=Blue]As[/color] System.EventArgs) [color=Blue]Handles[/color] Button1.Click
        [color=Green]'/// path to default webbrowser in registry...[/color]
        [color=Blue]Dim[/color] browserKey [color=Blue]As[/color] Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey = Microsoft.Win32.Registry.ClassesRoot.OpenSubKey("htmlfile\shell\open\command", [color=Blue]False[/color])
       [color=Green] '/// get the actuall path from between the " "[/color]
        [color=Blue]Dim[/color] defaultBrowser [color=Blue]As String[/color] = [color=Blue]DirectCast[/color](browserKey.GetValue([color=Blue]Nothing[/color], [color=Blue]Nothing[/color]), [color=Blue]String[/color]).Split([color=Blue]Chr[/color](34))(1)
        [color=Green]'/// open the default browser, with the specified path...[/color]
        launchBrowser(defaultBrowser, "http://msn.co.uk/")

    [color=Blue]End Sub[/color]

    [color=Blue]Private Sub[/color] launchBrowser([color=Blue]ByVal[/color] browser [color=Blue]As String[/color], [color=Blue]ByVal[/color] url [color=Blue]As String[/color])
        [color=Blue]Try[/color]
            Process.Start(browser, url)
        [color=Blue]Catch[/color] ex [color=Blue]As[/color] Exception
            MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
        [color=Blue]End Try[/color]
    [color=Blue]End Sub[/color] 

goes to show there are various ways

[ZeBula8]

This is the code I use in my Login Password Manager (Go to Site Button) and
it opens a new browser instance for me:

          Dim p As New Process()
          p.StartInfo.FileName = GetDefaultBrowser()
          p.StartInfo.Arguments = targetURL
          p.Start()


Friend Function GetDefaultBrowser() As String
    Dim browser As String = [String].Empty
    Dim key As Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey = Nothing
    Dim Quote As String = Chr(34)
    Try

      key = My.Computer.Registry.ClassesRoot.OpenSubKey("HTTP\shell\open\command", False)

      ' trim off quotes
      browser = key.GetValue(Nothing).ToString().ToLower().Replace(Quote, "")
      If Not browser.EndsWith("exe") Then
        ' get rid of everything after the 'exe'
        browser = browser.Substring(0, browser.LastIndexOf(".exe") + 4)

      End If

    Finally
      If key IsNot Nothing Then
        key.Close()
      End If
    End Try

    Return browser

  End Function

[cmmorris1]

Thanks kleinma it worked perfectly!
As an aside, is there a way to hide the default browser
using this code? I am using it to set a cookie only but do
not want it visible if possible.

[Emcrank]

Process.Start("explorer.exe", "www.google.com")

Works fine for me

[Imperoto]

        Dim webAddress As String = "http://www.vbforums.com"
        Process.Start(webAddress)

This works for me, also brings up the browser.