Custom Command to Externally Open Documents (PDF, Excel, Word, etc.)

[Joshua7812]

First off, I'm new to the AutoCAD/VBA/.NET side of the Community Forum, so I apologize if this isn't the place for this. I believe it's something VBA should be able to do, so I at least wanted to start here.

I'm trying to create a custom Ribbon tab for my firm. I'd like to link buttons to company standards, CAD manuals, templates for legal descriptions, affidavits, closure reports, etc. These documents come in various forms (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.). Is it possible, whether by way of commands already in AutoCAD or by way of custom commands with VBA, to have commands/buttons open these types of files outside (not within) AutoCAD?

[Ed__Jobe · Accepted solution]

If all you want to do is open another app, then you don't need to code it. Just use the SHELL command. Your button macro would look something like this.

^C^CShell "C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office16\\excel.exe"

You could also just send the file to shell and let Windows open the proper app from the file extension.

^C^CShell "C:\\User\\MyName\\Documents\\SomeSpreadsheet.xlxs"

[Joshua7812]

Thank you so much for the help! I didn't realize there was already such an easy method to do this.

[Ed__Jobe]

You might want to have a look at the acad.pgp file.