BorlandTalk.com

Randel Bjorkquist · Guest

Hey All,

I'm using the "ShellExecute" function to open a given file. But if the file
has an unknown extention, or one that isn't associated with an application,
how do I get the "Open With..." window to pop up.

Here is my current code that only opens the file if there is an associated
program to open it with.
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
void __fastcall Tfrm_Main::SpeedButton1Click(TObject *Sender)
{
AnsiString TestFileName = "C:\Temp\";

TDataSet* Data = dm_Picture->ds_Picture->DataSet;
TestFileName += Data->FieldByName("FileName")->AsString;

ShellExecute(NULL, "open", TestFileName.c_str(), NULL, NULL, SW_SHOW);
}

Thanks for any and all help,

Randel Bjorkquist

Remy Lebeau (TeamB) · Guest

"Randel Bjorkquist" <rbjorkquist (AT) coilcraft (DOT) com> wrote

Randel Bjorkquist · Guest

Hey Remy,

Thanks for the help, but I get a compiling error when I try to use the
"if-statement" from your example. Also, I tried using just the "openwith",
and nothing happens. I tried it on files that I knew an application
existed, like a Microsoft Word document and I also tried it on the Code
Guard files. I don't get anything to pop up. What am I doing wrong?

Randel
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-

COMPILER ERROR
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
[C++ Error] Main.cpp(249): E2034 Cannot convert 'int' to 'void *'
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-

PARTIAL CODE THAT GENERATES THE ABOVE COMPILER ERROR
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
void __fastcall Tfrm_Main::SpeedButton1Click(TObject *Sender)
{
:
if(ShellExecute(NULL, "open", TestFileName.c_str(), NULL, NULL, SW_SHOW)
== SE_ERR_NOASSOC){
ShellExecute(NULL, "openwith", TestFileName.c_str(), NULL, NULL,
SW_SHOW);
}//end of "if-statement"
:
}//end of "Tfrm_Main::SpeedButton1Click" method

"Remy Lebeau (TeamB)" <gambit47.no.spam (AT) no (DOT) spam.yahoo.com> wrote

Randel Bjorkquist · Guest

Hey Remy,

This is what I finally got to work, but I don't understand why I have to do
it this way. Why do I have to type cast the "SheelExecute" function to an
int?

CODE THAT WORKS
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
if((int)ShellExecute(NULL, "open", TestFileName.c_str(), NULL, NULL,
SW_SHOW) == SE_ERR_NOASSOC){
WinExec( ("rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL " +
TestFileName).c_str(), SW_NORMAL);
}//end of "if-statement"
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------

If I don't, I get the compiler error

COMPILER ERROR
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[C++ Error] Main.cpp(249): E2034 Cannot convert 'int' to 'void *'
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lastly, I just cannot get this line of code to do anything. It wont open
any kind of file.

ShellExecute(NULL, "openwith", TestFileName.c_str(), NULL, NULL, SW_SHOW);

Can you help me understand what I'm missing?

Thanks in advance,

Randel

"Randel Bjorkquist" <rbjorkquist (AT) coilcraft (DOT) com> wrote

Remy Lebeau (TeamB) · Guest

"Randel Bjorkquist" <rbjorkquist (AT) coilcraft (DOT) com> wrote

Randel Bjorkquist · Guest

Remy,

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something with trying to use the

ShellExecute(NULL, "openwith", TestFileName.c_str(), NULL, NULL, SW_SHOW);

As for the HINSTANCE, the Borland help defines it like this
extern PACKAGE int HInstance;

So I thought it was an int and not a void *.

I still don't understand the HINSTANCE, but at this time I guess it doesn't
matter.
But in any case, with your help I've got it working like I want it to.

Thank you very much,

Randel Bjorkquist

"Remy Lebeau (TeamB)" <gambit47.no.spam (AT) no (DOT) spam.yahoo.com> wrote

Remy Lebeau (TeamB) · Guest

"Randel Bjorkquist" <rbjorkquist (AT) coilcraft (DOT) com> wrote

nicolasr · Guest

Hi,

I noticed a big difference in the WinAPI help that ships with BCB
and the online help at MSDN. This is an excerpt from the current
ShellExecute documentation that might interest you:

<quote>
Returns a value greater than 32 if successful, or an error value that
is less than or equal to 32 otherwise. The following table lists the
error values. The return value is cast as an HINSTANCE for
backward compatibility with 16-bit Windows applications. It is
not a true HINSTANCE, however. The only thing that can be
done with the returned HINSTANCE is to cast it to an int and
compare it with the value 32 or one of the error codes below...
</quote>

Nick

Remy Lebeau (TeamB) · Guest

"nicolasr" <nicolasrNOSPAMATSIGNgmx.net> wrote