Opening files from other applications within Access

[Guest]

In general, I know how to open a file within Access. You would use a macro or
within a form, choose RunApp with the path to the executable and the filename
as it's argument.

What I have been asked to do seems to be more complicated than that.

For example...

The database contains information on a project and there is a file
associated with it (a word or pdf file for instance). People would look for
certain criteria, choose a project and then want to open the file by clicking
on a button (not by typing a file name or browsing for it). Not only that,
but they want someone to be able to add new projects to it (manually enter
info into a form), copy the associated file to a specific location and have
it work like the others (meaning no one would have to adjust the form or add
a macro for it to work).

Even if we came up with a naming convention for the files (based off a
primary key or project name), how do you open a file with a variable file
name?

Maybe would have to use visual basic, not sure.

 

[Douglas J Steele]

Yeah, you're going to want to use VBA here, not a macro.

Assuming that the file's extension has been associated with a particular
application, you can use the FollowHyperlink method:

FollowHyperlink "C:\Documentation\ReadMe.txt"

or

strFile = "C:\Documentation\ReadMe.txt"
FollowHyperlink strFile

 

[Guest]

ok...

my thought would be then to store the link in a table associated with the
record and then open the link in an event procedure.

How do you get info from a table within access into an event procedure?

For example: table1 contains a filed called hyperfield.

so...the strFile=table1.hyperfield and then FollowHyperlink strFile.

just not sure how to do it exactly.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

It depends.

Are we talking one row in the table, or multiple? If multiple, do you want
to process them one after the other, or do you want them to appear on a form
with a button beside so that you can pick and choose?