OpenFile

Runs a shell verb, by default open, on a file or a program.

Syntax: object.OpenFile ( strFilePath [, strOperation ] ) As LongPtr

object
required An object expression that evaluates to a cDialog.
strFilePath
required A String, the file to act on or the program to start. Any value that ShellExecute accepts as its file argument is allowed: a document, a program, a folder or a web address.
strOperation
optional A String, the verb to run, such as open, edit, explore, print or properties. The default is open. The verbs that exist depend on the type of the file.

Returns a LongPtr (a Long in a 32-bit program, a LongLong in a 64-bit one), the value that ShellExecute returned. A value above 32 means that the call succeeded. A smaller value is an error code.

Value Meaning
0 The system is out of memory or resources.
2 The file was not found.
3 The path was not found.
5 Access to the file was denied.
8 There is not enough memory to run the call.
26 A sharing violation occurred.
31 No program is associated with the file type for the verb.

The Windows documentation of ShellExecute lists the other values.

Remarks

OpenFile calls ShellExecuteW, the Unicode form of ShellExecute, so a path with any character is passed intact. It passes no owner window, no parameters and no working folder, and shows the program’s window normally (SW_SHOWNORMAL). The method raises no error: the return value is the only report. A path that does not exist returns 2 and shows no message.

For a program, the verb open starts the program. For a document, it starts the program that Windows associates with the document. For a folder, it opens the folder in File Explorer.

Note

An empty strFilePath is not an error. OpenFile("") returns 42, which is above 32 and looks like success, and opens a File Explorer window on the current folder of the program.

Example

This example opens a document and reports an error code.

Dim dlg As New cDialog
Dim result As LongPtr

result = dlg.OpenFile("C:\Reports\summary.pdf")
If result <= 32 Then
    Debug.Print "ShellExecute failed with code " & result
End If

This example edits a text file with the verb edit, then shows the folder of the file in Windows Explorer with the verb explore.

Dim dlg As New cDialog
Dim path As String

path = "C:\Reports\notes.txt"
dlg.OpenFile path, "edit"
dlg.OpenFile dlg.GetFilePath(path), "explore"

See Also