This must be too easy, if only it wasn't for
the vicodin...so please be patient with me ;->

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
system("pdfFile.pdf")
' or "docfile.doc"
' or "file.html"
End Sub

The external files will be distributed with the workbook, so I'm
not concerned about path relativity, though it would be nice to
be able to throw a msgbox just in case the file is not present in
the same folder as the workbook, or in the unlikely event
a suitable application is not available.

TIA - Lynn.

Option Explicit
Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
dim teststr as string
dim myFileName as string

myfilename = "x:\pathtoyourfile\yourfile.ext")

teststr = ""
on error resume next
teststr = myfilename
on error goto 0
if teststr = "" then
msgbox "file not found
exit sub
end if

'take a look at Shell to see how to start other programs
'maybe something like:
Shell "Start " & chr(34) & myfilename & chr(34)

End Sub

Lyndon Rickards wrote:
>
> This must be too easy, if only it wasn't for
> the vicodin...so please be patient with me ;->
>
> Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
> system("pdfFile.pdf")
> ' or "docfile.doc"
> ' or "file.html"
> End Sub
>
> The external files will be distributed with the workbook, so I'm
> not concerned about path relativity, though it would be nice to
> be able to throw a msgbox just in case the file is not present in
> the same folder as the workbook, or in the unlikely event
> a suitable application is not available.
>
> TIA - Lynn.

--

Dave Peterson

Thanks as always Dave. And I never would have guessed
chr(<anything>)...haven't used that since my early Basic
days - early 80's.

Geez how I wish Excel supported PerlScript!

Best - Lynn.

Dave Peterson wrote:
> Option Explicit
> Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
> dim teststr as string
> dim myFileName as string
>
> myfilename = "x:\pathtoyourfile\yourfile.ext")
>
> teststr = ""
> on error resume next
> teststr = myfilename
> on error goto 0
> if teststr = "" then
> msgbox "file not found
> exit sub
> end if
>
> 'take a look at Shell to see how to start other programs
> 'maybe something like:
> Shell "Start " & chr(34) & myfilename & chr(34)
>
> End Sub
>
> Lyndon Rickards wrote:
>
>>This must be too easy, if only it wasn't for
>>the vicodin...so please be patient with me ;->
>>
>>Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
>>system("pdfFile.pdf")
>>' or "docfile.doc"
>>' or "file.html"
>>End Sub
>>
>>The external files will be distributed with the workbook, so I'm
>>not concerned about path relativity, though it would be nice to
>>be able to throw a msgbox just in case the file is not present in
>>the same folder as the workbook, or in the unlikely event
>>a suitable application is not available.
>>
>>TIA - Lynn.
>
>

I find working with quotes sometimes confusing, but you could use this instead:

Shell "Start """ & myFilename & """"
instead of
Shell "Start " & chr(34) & myfilename & chr(34)





Lyndon Rickards wrote:
>
> Thanks as always Dave. And I never would have guessed
> chr(<anything>)...haven't used that since my early Basic
> days - early 80's.
>
> Geez how I wish Excel supported PerlScript!
>
> Best - Lynn.
>
> Dave Peterson wrote:
> > Option Explicit
> > Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
> > dim teststr as string
> > dim myFileName as string
> >
> > myfilename = "x:\pathtoyourfile\yourfile.ext")
> >
> > teststr = ""
> > on error resume next
> > teststr = myfilename
> > on error goto 0
> > if teststr = "" then
> > msgbox "file not found
> > exit sub
> > end if
> >
> > 'take a look at Shell to see how to start other programs
> > 'maybe something like:
> > Shell "Start " & chr(34) & myfilename & chr(34)
> >
> > End Sub
> >
> > Lyndon Rickards wrote:
> >
> >>This must be too easy, if only it wasn't for
> >>the vicodin...so please be patient with me ;->
> >>
> >>Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
> >>system("pdfFile.pdf")
> >>' or "docfile.doc"
> >>' or "file.html"
> >>End Sub
> >>
> >>The external files will be distributed with the workbook, so I'm
> >>not concerned about path relativity, though it would be nice to
> >>be able to throw a msgbox just in case the file is not present in
> >>the same folder as the workbook, or in the unlikely event
> >>a suitable application is not available.
> >>
> >>TIA - Lynn.
> >
> >

--

Dave Peterson

That's better ;-) For me, anyhow...

Dave Peterson wrote:
> I find working with quotes sometimes confusing, but you could use this instead:
>
> Shell "Start """ & myFilename & """"
> instead of
> Shell "Start " & chr(34) & myfilename & chr(34)
>