ShellExecute open

_Flaviu

I am trying to open any kind of file using

ShellExecute(NULL, _T("open"), sPath + _T("\\") + sText, NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

and is working well, but there a little issue: when I am trying to open an image file, I get always the "How do you want to open this file" dialog, everytime … why ? Of course, when I am trying to open this kind of image file from y windows explorer, is open with my default program, Windows Photo Viewer. Is there any kind of parameters to put on ShellExecute ? Please note that I use this for ever kind of file, including exe files.

Lost User

Go to Windows Explorer, right click on one of the files with that type, and check its properties.

_Flaviu

I check it, there is no any problem, it is open properly in windows explorer … not in my app, using ShellExecute …

Lost User

_Flaviu wrote:

Is there any kind of parameters to put on ShellExecute ?

Try NULL instead of "open";

MSDN[^] wrote:

The default verb is used, if available. If not, the "open" verb is used. If neither verb is available, the system uses the first verb listed in the registry.

Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

Lost User

Have you checked that the details in the properties for open refer to the absolute path to your application? What is the return value from ShellExecute when you run the code? What are the values of sPath and sText?

_Flaviu

I have tried in this way, the same behavior, but I noticed that this issue is present on some PC, but not on the other … strange ...

_Flaviu

The returned value is

0x0000002a

HINSTANCE hInstance = ShellExecute(AfxGetMainWnd()->GetSafeHwnd(), NULL, sPath + _T("\\") + sText, NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

this values is below 32, which is normal … am I right ? sTest is file name, and it is correct, as I said, on some PC is working without any issue ...

Lost User

I noticed in the Remarks section of ShellExecute function (shellapi.h) | Microsoft Docs[^] that is is strongly recommended that you call CoInitializeEx to initialise the COM system, before calling ShellExecute. Is that call in your code?

_Flaviu

I have tried:

		hr = CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT\_APARTMENTTHREADED);
			if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
			{
				HINSTANCE hInstance = ShellExecute(AfxGetMainWnd()->GetSafeHwnd(), NULL, sPath + \_T("\\\\") + sText, NULL, NULL, SW\_SHOWNORMAL);
				if (reinterpret\_cast(hInstance) <= 32)// Could not start application
					::SendMessage(theApp.m\_pMainWnd->GetSafeHwnd(), WM\_SETMESSAGESTRING, 0, (LPARAM)(LPCTSTR)GetDocument()->FormatHinstance(hInstance));
			}

the same result ...

Lost User

The documentation states that you should use:

CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_APARTMENTTHREADED | COINIT_DISABLE_OLE1DDE)

But I do not now if that will make a difference. The only way forward is to use the debugger and check exactly what happens at each point. You could also try setting the operation to "open", rather than NULL.

_Flaviu

I have tried this:

			HRESULT hr = E\_FAIL;
			hr = CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT\_APARTMENTTHREADED | COINIT\_DISABLE\_OLE1DDE);
			if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
			{
				HINSTANCE hInstance = ShellExecute(AfxGetMainWnd()->GetSafeHwnd(), NULL, sPath + \_T("\\\\") + sText, NULL, NULL, SW\_SHOWNORMAL);
				if (reinterpret\_cast(hInstance) <= 32)// Could not start application
					::SendMessage(theApp.m\_pMainWnd->GetSafeHwnd(), WM\_SETMESSAGESTRING, 0, (LPARAM)(LPCTSTR)GetDocument()->FormatHinstance(hInstance));
			}
			CoUninitialize();

same behavior … that "How do you want to open this file" is still present when I try to start an image file ...

Lost User

Sorry, I am out of ideas. But that message suggests that there is no default application registered for the file type.

Lost User

How to Fix: Windows 10 Keeps Asking: 'How do you want to open this file?' | www.infopackets.com[^]

_Flaviu

I really appreciate your post ! Kindly thank you !

jschell

_Flaviu wrote:

I am trying to open an image file

Just to clarify that statement.... The method you uses does the following. 1. Determine the type of file using the extension. 2. Look up what application the OS (windows) has recorded to open that type of file. 3. Open the file using the application. However if 1 fails, in that the file type is not known (already specified) then it will ask you for what to open it with. If you want to explicitly specify some application to open the file with then you need a different method. If you want to preclude the message in the first place then you will need to write code that first detects if the type is known. However that can still be problematic because if there is a known application for type, and then the application is uninstalled (or otherwise not available) there is no assurance that the type will have been unregistered. So it might still fail to open it.

_Flaviu

The strange thing is that this behaviour is present on some PC, and on some PC are not present... and I noticed this behaviour even on Outlook application, on some image attachments ... so, guess is PC issue, not application issue.

Lost User

_Flaviu wrote:

guess is PC issue, not application issue.

Exactly as I suggested last week.

jschell

_Flaviu wrote:

The strange thing is that this behaviour is present on some PC, and on some PC are not present

Because, as I explained, there is an association on the PC, each PC, which specifies what if anything to open the file with based on the extension.