Option Explicit



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



Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" _

    Alias "SendMessageA" ( _

    ByVal hwnd As Long, _

    ByVal wMsg As Long, _

    ByVal wParam As Long, _

    lParam As Any) As Long



Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1

Const SE_ERR_NOASSOC = 31

Const ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND = 2&

Const WM_CLOSE = &H10



Sub OpenAnyFile()

Dim strVisio As String

Dim strChm As String

Dim strMail As String

Dim lngRet As Long

Dim Msg As String



'//                 //

'// Example strings //

'//                 //



'// Open a Visio File

strVisio = "C:\VisioFiles\WIP\MyDrawing.VSD"



'// Open a chm Help file

strChm = "C:\WINDOWS\HELP\msoe.chm"



'// Open up default Mailer

strMail = "mailto:ivanmoala@xtra.co.nz"

'



'// Note: You don't have to specify the "open" command

'// by default Shell will default to open if you use

'// vbNullString, "Open" is just used for clarity.

lngRet = ShellExecute( _

    0, _

    "Open", _

    strChm & vbNullString, _

    vbNullString, _

    vbNullString, _

    SW_SHOWNORMAL)



Select Case lngRet

    Case SE_ERR_NOASSOC

        Msg = " is NOT Associated with any Application!"

    Case ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND

        Msg = " could NOT be found!"

End Select



MsgBox lngRet

SendMessage lngRet, WM_CLOSE, 0, 0



If Len(Msg) = 0 Then Exit Sub



MsgBox strVisio & Msg





End Sub