Open an html page in default browser with VBA? - vba

Question

How do I open an HTML page in the default browser with VBA? I know it's something like:
Shell "http://myHtmlPage.com"
But I think I have to reference the program which will open the page.

Answer 1

You can use the Windows API function ShellExecute to do so:
Option Explicit
Private Declare Function ShellExecute _
Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" ( _
ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal Operation As String, _
ByVal Filename As String, _
Optional ByVal Parameters As String, _
Optional ByVal Directory As String, _
Optional ByVal WindowStyle As Long = vbMinimizedFocus _
) As Long
Public Sub OpenUrl()
Dim lSuccess As Long
lSuccess = ShellExecute(0, "Open", "www.google.com")
End Sub
As given in comment, to make it work in 64-bit, you need add PtrSafe in the Private Declare Line as shown below:
Private Declare PtrSafe Function ShellExecute _
Just a short remark concerning security: If the URL comes from user input make sure to strictly validate that input as ShellExecute would execute any command with the user's permissions, also a format c: would be executed if the user is an administrator.

Answer 2

You can even say:
FollowHyperlink "www.google.com"
If you get Automation Error then use http://:
ThisWorkbook.FollowHyperlink("http://www.google.com")

Answer 3

If you want a more robust solution with ShellExecute that will open ANY file, folder or URL using the default OS associated program to do so, here is a function taken from http://access.mvps.org/access/api/api0018.htm:
'************ Code Start **********
' This code was originally written by Dev Ashish.
' It is not to be altered or distributed,
' except as part of an application.
' You are free to use it in any application,
' provided the copyright notice is left unchanged.
'
' Code Courtesy of
' Dev Ashish
'
Private Declare Function apiShellExecute 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
'***App Window Constants***
Public Const WIN_NORMAL = 1 'Open Normal
Public Const WIN_MAX = 3 'Open Maximized
Public Const WIN_MIN = 2 'Open Minimized
'***Error Codes***
Private Const ERROR_SUCCESS = 32&
Private Const ERROR_NO_ASSOC = 31&
Private Const ERROR_OUT_OF_MEM = 0&
Private Const ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND = 2&
Private Const ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND = 3&
Private Const ERROR_BAD_FORMAT = 11&
'***************Usage Examples***********************
'Open a folder: ?fHandleFile("C:\TEMP\",WIN_NORMAL)
'Call Email app: ?fHandleFile("mailto:dash10#hotmail.com",WIN_NORMAL)
'Open URL: ?fHandleFile("http://home.att.net/~dashish", WIN_NORMAL)
'Handle Unknown extensions (call Open With Dialog):
' ?fHandleFile("C:\TEMP\TestThis",Win_Normal)
'Start Access instance:
' ?fHandleFile("I:\mdbs\CodeNStuff.mdb", Win_NORMAL)
'****************************************************
Function fHandleFile(stFile As String, lShowHow As Long)
Dim lRet As Long, varTaskID As Variant
Dim stRet As String
'First try ShellExecute
lRet = apiShellExecute(hWndAccessApp, vbNullString, _
stFile, vbNullString, vbNullString, lShowHow)
If lRet > ERROR_SUCCESS Then
stRet = vbNullString
lRet = -1
Else
Select Case lRet
Case ERROR_NO_ASSOC:
'Try the OpenWith dialog
varTaskID = Shell("rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL " _
& stFile, WIN_NORMAL)
lRet = (varTaskID <> 0)
Case ERROR_OUT_OF_MEM:
stRet = "Error: Out of Memory/Resources. Couldn't Execute!"
Case ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND:
stRet = "Error: File not found. Couldn't Execute!"
Case ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND:
stRet = "Error: Path not found. Couldn't Execute!"
Case ERROR_BAD_FORMAT:
stRet = "Error: Bad File Format. Couldn't Execute!"
Case Else:
End Select
End If
fHandleFile = lRet & _
IIf(stRet = "", vbNullString, ", " & stRet)
End Function
'************ Code End **********
Just put this into a separate module and call fHandleFile() with the right parameters.

Answer 4

I find the most simple is
shell "explorer.exe URL"
This also works to open local folders.

Answer 5

You need to call ShellExecute.