Open a html file using default web browser

Question

I'm using this to get the path and executable of default web browser:

public static string DefaultWebBrowser
        {
            get
            {

                string path = @"\http\shell\open\command";

                using (RegistryKey reg = Registry.ClassesRoot.OpenSubKey(path))
                {
                    if (reg != null)
                    {
                        string webBrowserPath = reg.GetValue(String.Empty) as string;

                        if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(webBrowserPath))
                        {
                            if (webBrowserPath.First() == '"')
                            {
                                return webBrowserPath.Split('"')[1];
                            }

                            return webBrowserPath.Split(' ')[0];
                        }
                    }

                    return null;
                }
            }
        }

And:

 protected static bool Run(string FileName, string Args)
        {
            try
            {
                Process proc = new Process();

                processInfo.FileName = FileName;
                 proc.StartInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Normal;

                if(Args != null) proc.StartInfo.Arguments = Args;

                proc.Start();

                return true;
            }
            catch (Exception) { }

            return false;
        }

Then I call the web browser: Run(DefaultWebBrowser, "foo.html")

The question is: the above function is calling Firefox and IE (the two web browsers installed on my pc) instead of Internet Explorer, the default web browser. I have no idea how to fix this.

EDIT

I have downloaded and installed the Google Chrome, set it as default web browser, but oddly the above error don't happens with it.

Darko · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-12 02:12:05Z

49

You can replace all that code with

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(pathToHtmlFile);

This will automatically start your default browser, or rather look up the default handler for .htm or .html files and use that.

Now with Firefox set as default this can sometimes cause weird exceptions (I think if Firefox is starting for first time), so you might want to do a try/catch on it to handle that.

edited Jun 12, 2012 at 2:12

answered Jun 12, 2012 at 2:06

Darko

39k15 gold badges85 silver badges107 bronze badges

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

7 Comments

Jack Over a year ago

I had tried it. But in some pcs .htm/.html are not opened with a web browser. the .htm/.html extensions can be associated with an text editor or IDE for example.

User Over a year ago

Although the default program can be changed, you shouldn't have a problem really. See this for some tips on using ShellExecute to launch the default web browser, and also the paths for some registry keys (which you're probably already aware of). In the end, the user can most probably intervene by changing some default programs... but you shouldn't worry too much about this, as it's unavoidable to a certain extent.

Nyerguds Over a year ago

As Jack said, this is a terrible idea. I personally have an editor set as default application to open HTML files, and it unnerves me to no end to see programs open their readme file in that editor instead of the default browser. There IS a difference between 'default browser' and 'default app to open HTML with' in Windows.

BillHaggerty Over a year ago

This should not be the accepted answer. Does not guarantee that the file will be opened with a browser.

Darko Over a year ago

@Theyouthis feel free to contribute if you have a better solution

|

Michael Freidgeim · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-30 00:54:24Z

29

UPDATE 30 April 2022: For .Net Core better solution is to set UseShellExecute = true as suggested in .Net Core 2.0 Process.Start throws "The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform"

Original suggestion: For .Net Core you need to call (suggested in .Net Core 2.0 Process.Start throws "The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform")

 var proc = Process.Start(@"cmd.exe ", @"/c " + pathToHtmlFile);

When I tried Process.Start(pathToHtmlFile);, I've got System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform.

edited Apr 30, 2022 at 0:54

answered May 29, 2019 at 6:30

Michael Freidgeim

28.8k17 gold badges164 silver badges181 bronze badges

1 Comment

Marc.2377 Over a year ago

This would be the preferred way, actually.

Michael Freidgeim · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-30 00:42:08Z

11

In case if you're getting System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception exception, you need to set UseShellExecute to true

var p = new Process();
p.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo(@"C:\path\test.html")
{
    UseShellExecute = true
};
p.Start();

See .Net Core 2.0 Process.Start throws "The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform"

edited Apr 30, 2022 at 0:42

Michael Freidgeim

28.8k17 gold badges164 silver badges181 bronze badges

answered Feb 26, 2022 at 21:29

Berz

1232 silver badges6 bronze badges

2 Comments

Sasha Bond Over a year ago

this is the only one that works for me in .net core 8, others (proc = Process.Start(@"cmd.exe ", @"/c " + pathToHtmlFile); , etc) do not work anymore

fartwhif Aug 20 at 22:46

this needs to be the apex answer

Richard Matsen · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-23 08:32:41Z

1

For those who don't have html default association to a browser, use

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("Chrome", Uri.EscapeDataString(pathToHtmlFile))

edited Jan 23, 2017 at 8:32

answered Jan 23, 2017 at 8:21

Richard Matsen

20.9k3 gold badges59 silver badges85 bronze badges

6 Comments

Jack Over a year ago

It assumes that the user has chrome browser installed.

Richard Matsen Over a year ago

The code for DefaultWebBrowser is given at the top of the page

Richard Matsen Over a year ago

Back to using that code if you want it more generic (sorry assumed it was obvious).

Richard Matsen Over a year ago

Ok, I see your original problem was something funky going on with DefaulWebBrowser. - "the above function is calling the firefox and IE".

z0mbi3 Over a year ago

didn't work, even though I have chrome installed (as default)

|

utarid · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-29 15:22:51Z

0

I got this error when I used System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(pathToHtmlFile); :

System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: 'The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform.'

I was able to open the html file in the default browser with this code :

System.Diagnostics.Process process = new System.Diagnostics.Process();
try
{
    process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
    process.StartInfo.FileName = pathToHtmlFile;
    process.Start();
}
catch (Exception e)
{
    Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
}

answered Aug 29, 2021 at 15:22

utarid

1,7255 gold badges25 silver badges42 bronze badges

Comments

Dávid Miškovič · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-04 10:57:30Z

-1

Im using a code, where i look up for exe files first. For example, if exsists chrome.exe (in its default path) else if exists firefox.exe or launcher.exe (for opera) etc... if doesnt any exists, try to run iexplore.exe with pathToHtmlFile parameter. This is my solution, where i use external config, where a set my browser, doesnt matter what is set default in OS.

answered Dec 4, 2017 at 10:57

Dávid Miškovič

193 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Open a html file using default web browser

6 Answers 6

7 Comments

1 Comment

2 Comments

6 Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

6 Answers 6

7 Comments

1 Comment

2 Comments

6 Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related