>I would the user to click from a list view (or similar control), and if (for example) the file clicked is an Excel spreadsheet; it would be neat if I could make it open "automatically" like it does in when clicked through Windows or NT explorer.
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>My question is: Does Windows/VFP offer a method that will associate a file type like XLS with the proper OLE handles and icons, or do I need to evaluate each file type in the list and write my own ole associations?
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Sure - the ShellExecute() and ShellExecuteEx() API calls both can fire executables or documents that have an OLE association. There's support for ShellExecute in the FFC in VFP6, and API examples in the FAQ for VFP5 and earlier..