Java: Runtime.exec("cmd") want to run windows application

hi everyone, pls help...
I am currently writing a piece of GUI code using Swing on Windows 98 platform. I was wondering if a filepath is given (eg: C:\filename.doc), is it possible to launch a suitable application (Microsoft Word) automatically when a user click on the filepath?
I know one way of doing it is to use:
Runtime.exec("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\winword.exe C:\filename.doc");
The problem I encounted is that, I need to find out the path of the .exe file (excel, powerpnt, etc) I need each time.
So, is there any other good suggestions that I could still make this work without touching any of the window registry database file?

Hi Mary,
I think you can use the following:
String cmd = "rundll32 url.dll, FileProtocolHandler " + "C:\\filename.doc";
Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd);
Regards.

Hi,
I almost forgot. The command "rundll32 url.dll, FileProtocolHandler " + "C:\\filename.doc" is unable to run on Windows 9x. So you can use the following command for Windows 9x: "start " + "C:\\filename.doc".

Mary,

Did u try this out.
It works for me!

Hi!
At last! I have been looking for a similar solution for launching a default web-browser for some time, and had to settle with the user configuring the path to the browser using my options dialog before it would work. Thanks to this forum, i now have developed the following class in my app which can be called using something like;
launchWinApp lwa = new launchWinApp("http://www.javaranch.com");
or
new launchWinApp("c:\myfile.doc");
and it seems to be working fine in Windows 2000, although I haven't tested it on NT, 95 or 98 - it doesn't bother me because I'm developing in-house for 2000 and the odd NT machine .

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.Image;
class launchWinApp extends JFrame
{
Image iconimg;
public launchWinApp(String url_filestring)
{
iconimg = getToolkit().getImage("mainappicon.gif");
this.setIconImage(iconimg);
String op_sys = System.getProperty("os.name");

String app_cmd = "_undefinedprotocolsowillthrowexception_";
if(op_sys.equals("Windows 2000") | | op_sys.equals("Windows NT"))
{
app_cmd = "rundll32 url.dll, FileProtocolHandler " + url_filestring;
attemptLaunch(app_cmd);
}
else if(op_sys.equals("Windows 95") | | op_sys.equals("Windows 98"))
{
app_cmd = "start " + url_filestring;
attemptLaunch(app_cmd);
}
else
{
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, "This function is not supported by your " + op_sys + " operating system", "Error", JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE);
}
}

public void attemptLaunch(String app_cmd)
{
try
{
Runtime.getRuntime().exec(app_cmd); 
}
catch(java.io.IOException ioe)
{
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, "Windows could not provide a default\napplication for this file type or protocol.\nSuitable application not found!", "Error", JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE);
}
}
}

I'm only extending JFrame so I can have the icons on the message dialogs for continuity, so that stuff could be taken out if you didn't need the dialogs.
cheers, Ben.

Originally posted by Mary Smith:
hi everyone, pls help...
I am currently writing a piece of GUI code using Swing on Windows 98 platform. I was wondering if a filepath is given (eg: C:\filename.doc), is it possible to launch a suitable application (Microsoft Word) automatically when a user click on the filepath?
I know one way of doing it is to use:
Runtime.exec("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\winword.exe C:\filename.doc");
The problem I encounted is that, I need to find out the path of the .exe file (excel, powerpnt, etc) I need each time.
So, is there any other good suggestions that I could still make this work without touching any of the window registry database file?

if you use the following code:
runtime.exec("cmd.exe /c start "+m_sPath);
where m_sPath is the full path to your file it will work.
With many .exe files in Program Files you can simply do:
runtime.exec("cmd.exe /c start "+ winword.exe);
I think some are held in the classpath or something. If they aren't you cant do it as you cant use file paths with spaces.