Question

How can I override my default Web browser in Excel 2007?

Asked by: lhutton

I have a spreadsheet with links to websites, which I want to open in Firefox, which is not my default browser. How can I do this, presumably using VB?

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Asked On
2009-08-21 at 18:21:03ID24673039
Topic

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet Software

Participating Experts
1
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Answers

 

by: PhilAIPosted on 2009-08-21 at 22:48:11ID: 25157511

Do you want to do this with all links on all spreadsheets?
Or is it just for this particular spreadsheet?

One technique could be for VBA to change the default browser when you open the spreadsheet and then reset it when you close? But it would be easy for this to fail to reset if Excel crashes (for example).

Another option is to provide a button you can simply click to switch your default browser over.

As for overriding the links to not use the default browser - there is no way I can think of doing this :o(

 

by: PhilAIPosted on 2009-08-21 at 22:49:14ID: 25157513

You can change the default browser within Excel though:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA011906941033.aspx

 

by: PhilAIPosted on 2009-08-21 at 22:49:47ID: 25157515

Sorry, scrap that - it changes the default browser for Windows *d'oh*

 

by: lhuttonPosted on 2009-08-21 at 23:24:37ID: 25157585

Just for one spreadsheet in a workbook of multiple spreadsheets.

I like the idea of a button that would switch the default browser back and forth; whatever's easiest.

 

by: PhilAIPosted on 2009-08-21 at 23:56:19ID: 25157655

You will need to update the Registry - this can be done in two ways:
1. Write bunch of code to update the particular file types within the HKCU and finds the browser, etc, etc
2. If this is just for you on this computer, change your default browser, save the Registry and extract only the necessary items from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\...\shell\open\command, and do the same for the other browser.

Then you just need to create a button that executes the necessary .REG file.

 

by: PhilAIPosted on 2009-08-21 at 23:59:25ID: 25157660

Here's an example of a REG file for a default browser:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ftp\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Users\\Phil Millington-Hore\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe,0"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ftp\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Users\\Phil Millington-Hore\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" -- \"%1\""

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\http\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Users\\Phil Millington-Hore\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe,0"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\http\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Users\\Phil Millington-Hore\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" -- \"%1\""

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\https\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Users\\Phil Millington-Hore\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe,0"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\https\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Users\\Phil Millington-Hore\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" -- \"%1\""

 

by: lhuttonPosted on 2009-08-22 at 00:35:25ID: 25157771

I don't have those keys under Vista.

 

by: lhuttonPosted on 2009-08-22 at 01:14:20ID: 31619119

I've found a solution in the system tray utility, BrowserTraySwitch (www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/browsertray/).

 

by: PhilAIPosted on 2009-08-22 at 04:53:53ID: 25158357

Really? I have Vista and that's where I got them from. Oh well, you have found a 3rd party app - much easier!!!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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