Open File With Associated Program (Windows)

[ebs]

Code updated for 5.20+

Maybe this is old news, but I just learned this in my VB newsgroup.

To open any file with its associated program, all you need is one line!

For example, to show an HTML help file:

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ShellExecute_(GetDesktopWindow_(), "Open", "C:\windows\web\tip.htm", 0, 0, #SW_SHOWNORMAL)

To show a text file in Notepad:

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ShellExecute_(GetDesktopWindow_(), "Open", "C:\windows\system32\eula.txt", 0, 0, #SW_SHOWNORMAL)

I think that's pretty handy!

[AlGonzalez]

You can also open a web url in the default browser:

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ShellExecute_(GetDesktopWindow_(), "Open", "http://www.purebasic.com", 0, 0, #SW_SHOWNORMAL)

Or bring up an email to send like this:

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ShellExecute_(GetDesktopWindow_(), "Open", "mailto:support@purebasic.com", 0, 0, #SW_SHOWNORMAL)

or with more information, like this:

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ShellExecute_(0, "Open", "mailto:support@purebasic.com?subject=cool&cc=dude@home.com&body=way cool", 0, 0, #SW_SHOWNORMAL)

BTW, while using GetDesktopWindow_() is technically the correct method, you can also just use 0.

[AlGonzalez]

FYI - The above can also be accomplished using RunProgram:

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RunProgram("http://www.purebasic.com")

RunProgram("mailto:support@purebasic.com")

RunProgram("mailto:support@purebasic.com?subject=cool&cc=dude@home.com&body=way cool")

[merendo]

But does anyone know how to associate a program with a filetype (the reverse way)?

[AlGonzalez]

But does anyone know how to associate a program with a filetype (the reverse way)?

One method, for Windows anyway, is to write to the registry under the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT hive.

1. create a key with the extension, for example ".xyz",
   with a default value of the key used to open your file extension
   (in this case "xyz.File").
2. create a key to open your file extension, here we'll use "xyz.File\shell\open\command".
3. Set the default for "xyz.File\shell\open" to the text you want displayed when the user
   right clicks on the file (It will default to "Open" if you don't set it)
4. Set the default for "xyz.File\shell\open\command" to the command that will be executed
   for this file to open. i.e ("C:\Program Files\My XYZ App\xyz.exe" "%1")
   Make sure to use the quotes to make sure the app works with paths that have spaces.
   The %1 is replaced by the filename including the full path

[ebs]

I should have known it!

I find what I think is a cool way to do something, only to discover that Fred is way ahead of me and already has it built into PureBasic!

Oh well...

[ricardo]

I found this procedure here in the forum (i don't remember who code it ):

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Procedure SetKey(fold,Key$,Subkey$,Type,Adr,len) 
  If RegCreateKeyEx_(fold, Key$, 0, 0, #REG_OPTION_NON_VOLATILE, #KEY_ALL_ACCESS, 0, @NewKey, @KeyInfo) = #ERROR_SUCCESS 
    RegSetValueEx_(NewKey, Subkey$, 0, Type,  Adr, len) 
    RegCloseKey_(NewKey) 
  EndIf 
EndProcedure 
Procedure AssociateFileEx(ext$,ext_description$,programm$,Icon$,prgkey$,cmd_description$,cmd_key$) 
  cmd$=Chr$(34)+programm$+Chr$(34)+" "+Chr$(34)+"%1"+Chr$(34) 
  If GetVersion_() & $FF0000  ; Windows NT/XP 
    SetKey(#HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, "Applications\"+prgkey$+"\shell\"+cmd_description$+"\command","",#REG_SZ    ,@cmd$,Len(cmd$)+1) 
    If ext_description$ 
      Key$=ext$+"_auto_file" 
      SetKey(#HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT  ,"."+ext$           ,"",#REG_SZ,@Key$,Len(Key$)+1) 
      SetKey(#HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT  ,Key$               ,"",#REG_SZ,@ext_description$,Len(ext_description$)+1) 
      If Icon$ 
        SetKey(#HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT,Key$+"\DefaultIcon","",#REG_SZ,@Icon$,Len(Icon$)+1) 
      EndIf 
    EndIf 
    SetKey(#HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\."+ext$,"Application",#REG_SZ,@prgkey$         ,Len(prgkey$)+1) 
  Else ;Windows 9x 
    SetKey(#HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,"Software\Classes\."+ext$                        ,"",#REG_SZ,@prgkey$         ,Len(prgkey$)+1) 
    If ext_description$ 
      SetKey(#HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,"Software\Classes\"+prgkey$                   ,"",#REG_SZ,@ext_description$,Len(ext_description$)+1) 
    EndIf 
    If Icon$ 
      SetKey(#HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,"Software\Classes\"+prgkey$+"\DefaultIcon"    ,"",#REG_SZ,@Icon$           ,Len(Icon$)+1) 
    EndIf 
    If cmd_description$<>cmd_key$ 
      SetKey(#HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,"Software\Classes\"+prgkey$+"\shell\"+cmd_key$,"",#REG_SZ,@cmd_description$,Len(cmd_description$)+1) 
    EndIf 
    SetKey(#HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,"Software\Classes\"+prgkey$+"\shell\"+cmd_key$+"\command","",#REG_SZ,@cmd$   ,Len(cmd$)+1) 
  EndIf 
EndProcedure 
Procedure AssociateFile(ext$,ext_description$,programm$,Icon$) 
  AssociateFileEx(ext$,ext_description$,programm$,Icon$,GetFilePart(programm$),"open","open")  
EndProcedure 

;Usage
AssociateFile("ric","this is my extention", Programm$,"") 

Hope it helps!

[ebs]

Does anyone know if (and how) "RunProgram()" can be used to open a directory?
For example, if I type "C:\Clients\" at the Windows "Run..." prompt in the Start Menu,
an Explorer window opens to that folder.
Is there a way to do the same thing with "RunProgram()" ?

[benny]

@ebs:

Do you mean something like this :

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RunProgram("explorer.exe","c:\windows","")

It opens an explorer in c:\windows ?!

[ebs]

Benny,

Yes, that works.

I did some experimenting after I posted the message, and this works too:

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RunProgram("", "", "c:\windows") 

Thanks,
Eric