Opening Word document by clicking form button

[Miles R]

I open a Microsoft Word document by clicking a button on a form in my application.
The event handler uses the following line :-
dblRetval = Shell("Explorer """ & strDocumentPath & """", vbMaximizedFocus)
This works ok, but has a splash screen when Word opens. I have experimented with other options, namely :-
dblRetval = Shell("Winword """ & strDocumentPath & """", vbMaximizedFocus)
This works exactly like the previous one.
dblRetval = Shell("Winword /q """ & strDocumentPath & """", vbMaximizedFocus)
This works without the splash screen, which is what I want. However, if I click on the button again, it tries to open up a read only version of the same document. The previous two options just returned to the same document.

Can anyone explain why putting the /q (for quiet presumably) is opening up multiple versions of the same document.


Also, is it better to use Explorer or Winword.

Thanks for any advice or help.

[ranman256]

this module will open ANY file in its native application.


Paste this code into a module, then its usage is: OpenNativeApp txtBox


if the item in the text box is a URL, it will open in default explorer
if a .doc, it will open in WORD

#If Win64 Then      'Public Dclare PtrSafe Function
  Private Declare PtrSafe Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpszOp As String, ByVal lpszFile As String, ByVal lpszParams As String, ByVal lpszDir As String, ByVal FsShowCmd As Long) As Long
  Private Declare PtrSafe Function GetDesktopWindow Lib "user32" () As Long
#else
  Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpszOp As String, ByVal lpszFile As String, ByVal lpszParams As String, ByVal lpszDir As String, ByVal FsShowCmd As Long) As Long
  Private Declare Function GetDesktopWindow Lib "user32" () As Long
#End If




Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1
Const SE_ERR_FNF = 2&
Const SE_ERR_PNF = 3&
Const SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED = 5&
Const SE_ERR_OOM = 8&
Const SE_ERR_DLLNOTFOUND = 32&
Const SE_ERR_SHARE = 26&
Const SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE = 27&
Const SE_ERR_DDETIMEOUT = 28&
Const SE_ERR_DDEFAIL = 29&
Const SE_ERR_DDEBUSY = 30&
Const SE_ERR_NOASSOC = 31&
Const ERROR_BAD_FORMAT = 11&




Public Sub OpenNativeApp(ByVal psDocName As String)
Dim r As Long, msg As String


r = StartDoc(psDocName)
If r <= 32 Then
    'There was an error
    Select Case r
        Case SE_ERR_FNF
            msg = "File not found"
        Case SE_ERR_PNF
            msg = "Path not found"
        Case SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED
            msg = "Access denied"
        Case SE_ERR_OOM
            msg = "Out of memory"
        Case SE_ERR_DLLNOTFOUND
            msg = "DLL not found"
        Case SE_ERR_SHARE
            msg = "A sharing violation occurred"
        Case SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE
            msg = "Incomplete or invalid file association"
        Case SE_ERR_DDETIMEOUT
            msg = "DDE Time out"
        Case SE_ERR_DDEFAIL
            msg = "DDE transaction failed"
        Case SE_ERR_DDEBUSY
            msg = "DDE busy"
        Case SE_ERR_NOASSOC
            msg = "No association for file extension"
        Case ERROR_BAD_FORMAT
            msg = "Invalid EXE file or error in EXE image"
        Case Else
            msg = "Unknown error"
    End Select
'    MsgBox msg
End If
End Sub




Private Function StartDoc(psDocName As String) As Long
Dim Scr_hDC As Long


Scr_hDC = GetDesktopWindow()
StartDoc = ShellExecute(Scr_hDC, "Open", psDocName, "", "C:\", SW_SHOWNORMAL)
End Function

[Miles R]

Thanks Ranman, but this is a lot more complicated than my code, which does work.
It does not address the question as to why multiple versions of the same document can be opened if the /q option is added to the Winword

[Gicu]

Just tried Application.FollowHyperlink strDocumentPath and it opens the file with no splash screen and puts the focus on the already opened document for the subsequent clicks. No idea why your code tries to open a read-only, it looks like the /q switch forces a new instance of Word to open when the others are reusing the open one.

Cheers,

[Miles R]

Vlad,

Marvelous, that's exactly what I want. Had not come across the FollowHyperlink option before directly from the vba.
You're probably right about the /q switch forcing a new instance of Word.

Cheers