DOCUMENT:Q174156 26-SEP-1997 [vbwin] TITLE :HOWTO: Programmatically Launch the Default Internet Browser PRODUCT :Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows PROD/VER:WINDOWS:4.0 5.0 OPER/SYS:WINDOWS KEYWORDS:vb432 VB4WIN vb5all vb5howto vbwin ====================================================================== ----------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Visual Basic Control Creation, Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions for Windows, version 5.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions, 32-bit only, for Windows, version 4.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications, version 5.0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= You can use the Windows API to start the default Internet browser on your system. To do so, you must first determine what Internet browser is registered as the default on your system, and then start that application. MORE INFORMATION ================ The following Visual Basic example will launch whatever Internet browser is registered as the default on your system. Obviously, at least one Internet browser must be successfully installed and set up on the system for this to work. Note that both API functions return a value of 32 or less on failure, but the error constants are not included in this article. Full error trapping is recommended for any production use of this technique. Step-by-Step Example -------------------- 1. Start a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default. 2. Add a Command button to Form1. Command1 is created by default. 3. Copy the following code into the Form's module: Private Const SW_SHOW = 5 ' Displays Window in its current size ' and position Private Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1 ' Restores Window if Minimized or ' Maximized 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 Private Declare Function FindExecutable Lib "shell32.dll" Alias _ "FindExecutableA" (ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpDirectory As _ String, ByVal lpResult As String) As Long Private Sub Command1_Click() Dim FileName, Dummy As String Dim BrowserExec As String * 255 Dim RetVal As Long Dim FileNumber As Integer ' First, create a known, temporary HTML file BrowserExec = Space(255) FileName = "C:\temphtm.HTM" FileNumber = FreeFile ' Get unused file number Open FileName For Output As #FileNumber ' Create temp HTML file Write #FileNumber, " <\HTML>" ' Output text Close #FileNumber ' Close file ' Then find the application associated with it RetVal = FindExecutable(FileName, Dummy, BrowserExec) BrowserExec = Trim(BrowserExec) ' If an application is found, launch it! If RetVal <= 32 Or IsEmpty(BrowserExec) Then ' Error MsgBox "Could not find associated Browser", vbExclamation, _ "Browser Not Found" Else RetVal = ShellExecute(Me.hwnd, "open", BrowserExec, _ "www.microsoft.com", Dummy, SW_SHOWNORMAL) If RetVal <= 32 Then ' Error MsgBox "Web Page not Opened", vbExclamation, "URL Failed" End If End If Kill FileName ' delete temp HTML file End Sub 4. Press the F5 key to run the project. Click on Command1 and your default Internet Browser will start. REFERENCES ========== For more information, please Search on the following topics in either the Win32 Programmer's Reference or The Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Library CD-ROM: - ShellExecute - FindExecutable Additional query words: IE Internet Explorer Netscape Navigator Communicator ====================================================================== Keywords : vb432 VB4WIN vb5all vb5howto vbwin Version : WINDOWS:4.0 5.0 Platform : WINDOWS Issue type : kbhowto ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1997.