How to Open a Folder in Windows Explorer using VBA
ShellExecute() Windows API function can be called from a VBA macro to start another program under Microsoft Windows. Use ShellExecute() instead of Shell (a Visual Basic statement) or WinExec() (a Windows API function) to work around the following limitation of the latter commands.
With Shell and WinExec(), you cannot start an application by specifying a file name only. For example, the following Shell statement will fail:
Shell (“c:\temp”)
Declare the API function
Declare Function ShellExecute 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
The following code will open the specified folder in Windows Explorer
Sub Open_ExplorerWindow()
ShellExecute 0, "open", "c:\temp", 0, 0, 1
Posts
Useful. :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIs there a modification that will open the folder and then highlight a specific file? Basically looking for a way to point the user to a specific file.
ReplyDeleteYes, use the SendKeys method to type out the name of the file. Windows will select that file.
DeleteCould you please elaborate on this SendKey method. I am still baffled how to do this within VBA.
DeleteWindows Explorer command line option allows for this.
DeleteTwo examples:
Example 1: Explorer /select,C:\TestDir\TestApp.exe
Opens a window view with TestApp selected.
Example 2: Explorer /e,/root,C:\TestDir\TestApp.exe
This opens Explorer with C: expanded and TestApp selected.
Reference:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/152457
This is genious!
ReplyDeleteHoly CRUD, finally something worked! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIs there a way to determine if the windows explorer (yellow folder icon) is open?
ReplyDeleteUpdated question:
ReplyDeleteIs there a way using vba to determine if the windows explorer (yellow folder icon) is open? Thanks
Technically, you could have also just done this:
ReplyDeleteCall Shell("explorer """"" & "c:\temp" & """""", vbNormalFocus)
The qualification of the path with quotations is sufficient to get around the limitations that you've highlighted.
so much awesomeness on comment 4:45, this is just what i needed
ReplyDeleteCall Shell("explorer """"" & "c:\temp" & """""", vbNormalFocus)