Q192352: HOWTO: Invoke the "Open With…" Dialog Box Using _shellexecute

Article: Q192352
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.0b,5.0,5.0a,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbAPI kbvfp300 kbvfp300b kbvfp500 kbvfp500a kbvfp600 kbFFC kbGrpDSFox kbDSupport
Last Modified: 14-JUN-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0, 3.0b, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

The FoxPro Foundation Class _shellexecute can be used to run external programs,
as well as open non-executable files if there is a program associated with that
file. However, if there is no program associated with the file, _shellexecute
returns SE_ERR_NOASSOC (31) and no action is taken upon the file. This article
demonstrates how to create a procedure that uses the "Open With..." dialog box
to give the user the option of selecting a program with which to open the file.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The process must be either executed from a program function or a class will have
to be created from scratch. The following code describes how to do this as a
program function.

1. Save the following code to a program file and save it as ShellDoc.prg:

  

        *-- Code begins here.
        PROCEDURE ShellDoc()
        LPARAMETERS lsFile

        *-- Defines from Winuser.h
        *-- These constants will be used with the
        *-- ShellExecute function.
        #define SW_HIDE             0
        #define SW_SHOWNORMAL       1
        #define SW_NORMAL           1
        #define SW_SHOWMINIMIZED    2
        #define SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED    3
        #define SW_MAXIMIZE         3
        #define SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE   4
        #define SW_SHOW             5
        #define SW_MINIMIZE         6
        #define SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE  7
        #define SW_SHOWNA           8
        #define SW_RESTORE          9
        #define SW_SHOWDEFAULT      10
        #define SW_FORCEMINIMIZE    11
        #define SW_MAX              11

        #define SE_ERR_NOASSOC 31

        *-- GetDesktopWindow gives us a window handle to
        *-- pass to ShellExecute.
        DECLARE INTEGER GetDesktopWindow IN user32.dll
        DECLARE INTEGER GetSystemDirectory IN kernel32.dll ;
          STRING @lsBuffer, ;
          INTEGER liSize

        *-- ShellExecute is of the following format:
        *--   HINSTANCE ShellExecute(
        *--       HWND hwnd,
        *--       LPCTSTR lpOperation,
        *--       LPCTSTR lpFile,
        *--       LPCTSTR lpParameters,
        *--       LPCTSTR lpDirectory,
        *--       INT nShowCmd
        *--   );

        DECLARE INTEGER ShellExecute IN shell32.dll ;
          INTEGER, ;
          STRING @lsOperation, ;
          STRING @lsFile, ;
          STRING @lsParameters, ;
          STRING @lsDirectory, ;
          INTEGER liShowCmd

        lsOperation = "open"
        liRet = ShellExecute(GetDesktopWindow(), @lsOperation, @lsFile, ;
          "", "", SW_SHOWNORMAL)
        IF liRet = SE_ERR_NOASSOC && No association exists
           lsSysDir = SPACE(260)  && MAX_PATH, the maximum path length

           *-- Get the system directory so that we know
           *-- where Rundll32.exe resides.
           liRet = GetSystemDirectory(@lsSysDir, LEN(lsSysDir))
           lsSysDir = SUBSTR(lsSysDir, 1, liRet)
           lsRun = "RUNDLL32.EXE"
           lsParameters = "shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL "
           liRet = ShellExecute(GetDesktopWindow(), "open", lsRun,;
             lsParameters + lsFile, lsSysDir, SW_SHOWNORMAL)
        ENDIF
        ENDPROC
        *-- Code ends here.

2. In the Command window, issue the following command:

  

        SET PROCEDURE TO ShellDoc

3. Call the ShellDoc procedure with the following syntax:

  

        DO ShellDoc WITH <cFilename>

  You may need to pass a path with the file name if the file is on a mapped
  drive. If <cFilename> has no association, the "Open With..." dialog box
  appears.

REFERENCES
==========

(c) Microsoft Corporation 1998. All Rights Reserved. Contributions by Mike A.
Stewart, Microsoft Corporation.


Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbAPI kbvfp300 kbvfp300b kbvfp500 kbvfp500a kbvfp600 kbFFC kbGrpDSFox kbDSupport 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVFP300 kbVFP300b kbVFP500 kbVFP600 kbVFP500a
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0b,5.0,5.0a,6.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

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