KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q197192: HOWTO: Find the Full Path of an Executable Given the Extension

Article: Q197192
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): 2.6,2.6a,3.0,3.0b,5.0,5.0a,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbAPI kbvfp300 kbvfp300b kbvfp500 kbvfp500a kbvfp600
Last Modified: 01-MAY-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.6, 2.6a 
- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0, 3.0b, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

Sometimes you might need to determine the full pathname to a Windows executable
file, such as Microsoft Word or Excel. Passing a file with the desired
extension, be it .DOC, .XLS, .PPT, etc. to the Windows API function
FindExecutable is one easy way to do this. You can use this function in both
16-bit FoxPro for Windows and 32-bit Visual FoxPro.

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

Save and execute the following program, FindExec.prg. FindExec.prg creates a
dummy file named Sample.doc and uses this file to find the full path to
Microsoft Word. The filename can be altered to find the executable associated
with any registered file type.

FindExecutable returns an integer value greater than 32 when it is successful.
Other error codes indicate that no association exists, that the specified file
or path does not exist, or that the function failed because of insufficient
memory.

Sample Code
-----------

     * FindExec.prg
     *
     * This example demonstrates Visual FoxPro and FPW2.6 code to find the
     * location of Word for Windows based on a file association.
     *
     * A file with the specific association must already exist for
     * FindExecutable to work correctly. Therefore, the sample creates
     * a fictitious file with a .DOC extension.
     *
     * If an association is not present, FindExecutable will
     * return an empty string.

     * Modify this string to SAMPLE.XLS to find the path to Excel.
     lcSampleDoc = "SAMPLE.DOC"
     lihandle = FCREATE(lcSampleDoc)
     =FCLOSE(lihandle)

     lpFile = lcSampleDoc
     lpDirectory = ''
     lpResults = SPACE(128)

     * Any VFP version.
     IF ("VISUAL FOXPRO" $ UPPER(VERSION()))
        DECLARE INTEGER FindExecutable IN SHELL32 ;
           STRING@lpFile, STRING@lpDirectory, ;
           STRING @lpResults

        liReturnValue = FindExecutable(@lpFile, @lpDirectory,@lpResults)

     ELSE
     * FPW 2.x version.
        SET LIBRARY TO HOME() + "foxtools.fll"
        lfFindExe = RegFn("FindExecutable", "@C@C@C", "I", ;
           "SHELL.DLL")

        liReturnValue = CallFn(lfFindExe, @lpFile, @lpDirectory, @lpResults)
     ENDIF

     * Interpret the return code.
     DO CASE
     CASE liReturnValue = 0
        ? "FindExecutable failed: Out of memory or resources"
     CASE liReturnValue = 31
        ? "FindExecutable failed: No association for file type"
     CASE liReturnValue = 2
        ? "FindExecutable failed: Specified file not found"
     CASE liReturnValue = 3
        ? "FindExecutable failed: Specified path not found"
     CASE liReturnValue = 11
        ? "FindExecutable failed: Invalid EXE format"
     OTHERWISE
     * Read out to the null terminator.
        lpResults = LEFT(lpResults, AT(CHR(0), lpResults) - 1)
        ? "Full path of application: " + lpResults
     ENDCASE

     * Delete the dummy file you created.
     DELETE FILE (lcSampleDoc)

REFERENCES
==========

Win32 SDK Help; topic: FindExecutable

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q140724 PRB: FindExecutable() Truncates Result at First Space in LFN

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbAPI kbvfp300 kbvfp300b kbvfp500 kbvfp500a kbvfp600 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbFoxPro260 kbFoxPro260a kbVFP300 kbVFP300b kbVFP500 kbVFP600 kbVFP500a
Version           : :2.6,2.6a,3.0,3.0b,5.0,5.0a,6.0
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.