Opening browser on a variable page using vbscript

Question

I'm trying to write a bit of VBScript to open a browser on a specific webpage. Ultimately this webpage would be unique per script. At the moment I have the following code which works:

Dim objShell

objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
objShell.ShellExecute("C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe", "www.google.ie", "", "", 1)

But I would like to get the following working:

Dim iURL As String
Dim objShell

iURL = "www.google.ie"

objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
objShell.ShellExecute("C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe", iURL, "", "", 1)

Any ideas what it is I'm doing wrong? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Found out the problem was being caused in the external program launching the VBScript. Thanks for your help Alex K. — gaynorvader
– gaynorvader, Commented Nov 16, 2012 at 9:52

Alex K. · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-15 16:26:31Z

17

No As String as VBScript is not strongly type, you need a set when you create an instance of the COM object & no parens around the method call;

Dim iURL 
Dim objShell

iURL = "www.google.ie"

set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
objShell.ShellExecute "chrome.exe", iURL, "", "", 1

Or if chrome is the default

set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
objShell.run(iURL)

answered Nov 15, 2012 at 16:26

Alex K.

177k32 gold badges276 silver badges299 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

gaynorvader Over a year ago

I'm using visual studio express 2012 for web and it keeps removing set and adding back in the parenthesis. I tried everything else the same way you recommend, but am getting the same result. The variable is not being used, but a direct string will work.

Thomas Kekeisen Over a year ago

As a improvement you could use: oShell.ShellExecute "chrome.exe", """" & iURL & """", "", "", 1 (will allow to pass parameters splitted by space without encoding it)

Benyamin Limanto Over a year ago

Thank you for sharing... OneDrive deprecated Windows 7 share.... and I need to write a simple vbs script for it... M$ is bad.. and Windows 7 ESU still deprecated in 2026... why would they drop the support *smh...

Sasxa · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-27 15:41:58Z

2

I found the easiest way is to do this:

set WshShell=WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.run "chrome.exe"
WScript.sleep 400
WshShell.sendkeys "URL HERE"
WshShell.sendkeys "{ENTER}"

also just a fyi you can do this to close chrome:

WshShell.sendkeys "%{F4}"

edited Jan 27, 2016 at 15:41

Sasxa

41.4k17 gold badges91 silver badges102 bronze badges

answered Jan 27, 2016 at 15:16

secretname

211 bronze badge

1 Comment

secretname Over a year ago

hopefully i didn't make any typos

rags · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-09 10:39:43Z

1

Can you pl insert "Call" prefix to "objShell.ShellExecute"

Dim objShell
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")

iURL = "www.google.com"

Call objShell.ShellExecute("C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe", iURL, "", "", 1)

For IE:

'Call objShell.ShellExecute("iexplore.exe", iURL, "", "", 1)


For more info below code also works,

Dim objShell
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")

chrome:

iURL = "www.google.com"
'objShell.ShellExecute "chrome.exe", iURL, "", "", 1

ie:

'objShell.ShellExecute "iexplore.exe", iURL, "", "", 1

edited Dec 9, 2014 at 10:39

rags

2,59020 silver badges38 bronze badges

answered Aug 23, 2014 at 6:53

Subramanian

111 bronze badge

Comments

Jared Pruett · Accepted Answer · 2020-04-09 15:30:47Z

1

  Sub RickRoller()
   Dim counter, myNum, objShell, iURL
   counter = 0
   myNum = 100
   Do Until myNum = 1
     myNum = myNum - 1
     counter = counter + 1
     Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
     WshShell.SendKeys(chr(&hAF))
   Loop
   set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
   iURL = "https://youtu.be/oHg5SJYRHA0?autoplay=1&t=44"
   objShell.run(iURL)
 End Sub


 RickRoller()

answered Apr 9, 2020 at 15:30

Jared Pruett

111 bronze badge

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Opening browser on a variable page using vbscript

4 Answers 4

3 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

4 Answers 4

3 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related