Associate files...

I asked it already yesterday but it won't work so I ask it again:

I want to associate my program with a specific file format. When someone clicks the file I would like to have my program opened and the file loaded. So I need to know the filename of the clicked file to load it with my program. Can somebody help me please by sending a clear explanation or an example project??

Thanx

See This tip

I tried this code already but this stuf doesn't work in VB6 enterprise. And I register my extension with a .reg file so that isn't the problem. The problem is how can I get the filename of the clicked file with my program?

That's passed through the Command line argument. The command line argument is represented by Command in VB. I.e If you made a Text Editor, you can use the following code to open the file that was clicked on.

Code:

---

Private Sub Form_Load()

    Open Command For Input As #1
    Text1.Text = Input(LOF(1), 1)
    Close #1
   
End Sub

---

This one will allow several files to be opened with your app, storing file contents in yourarray

Code:

---

  Dim X as integer, File as variant, Yourarray() as string
    For each File In split(command$," ")
      Open File For Input As #1
        Redim Preserve Yourarray(X)
        Yourarray(X)=Input(Lof(1),1)
        X=X+1
      Close #1
    Next File

---

When i try this code
Open command For Input As #1
Text1.Text = Input(LOF(1), 1)
Close #1
I get this error message:

Run-time error '75'
Path/file acces error

What am I doing wrong?

When the file association is registered, make sure that the %1 is in quotes:

Code:

---

c:\myprog\myprog.exe "%1"

---

Then you can split long filenames up properly.

moperke:

I had that same problem,

i wanted to see why it wasnt working, so before I had the open code, I popped up a message box that told me what the "Command$" was,
it turns out there are quotes around the file name
so I did this

Code:

---

Dim FF As Integer
Dim FName As String

  FF = FreeFile

  FName = Replace(Command$, Chr$(34), " ")
  FName = Trim$(FName)

  Open FName For Input As FF
    Text1 = Input(LOF(FF), FF)
  Close FF

---

also, one more question,
how do I get the correct icon??
I can open files in my app, etc etc, but how do I get the icon?
I tried setting the default icon with the path to my exe and ",1" and I even tried using the ICO File....

I used the tip megatron posted the link to..

Thanks,
Dennis Wrenn

thanx everyone who helped me, it works!
...
but I have a new problem: when my exe is located in a folder which contain spaces (like c:\Program :( Files\MyFolder\MyApp.exe) the command gives a DOS path like H:\DATA\MYFILE~1.EXT and I get a File not found error. How can I fix this problem?

To change the icon you have to edit the 'DefaultIcon' in the registry. It's located in the same dir as 'Shell'.

I know that, I just cant seem to get the correct Icon, I have tried setting the default icon for a real icon, and for the exe's icon.....
please somebody help...

For an icon file, just reference it c:\myicon.ico

For an exe or dll, use c:\mydll.dll,4 where 4 is replaced by the index of the icon in the file.

I tried that, it doesnt work.

Where are you putting it?

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ViewNFO\DefaultIcon

this is the path

C:\PROGRAM FILES\VIEWNFO\viewNFO.exe,1

My program opens the files correctly but when I click a second file my program loads also a second time. What I want to do is open the second file with the same program as the first.
Any suggestions?

Use DDE. That's mainly what it's there for.