Registry key for path to MS Internet Explorer executable

Rather than do it this way, why not just pass the name of the HTML file to ShellExecuteEx() and let it do the work for you? It will find the registered HTML application (regardless of what it is) and display your page.

more people need to use regedit

goto start----> run and type in regedit
this will bring you to an editor that looks like the explorer.  You can then press ctrl-f and bring up a find window which searches the registry for whatever you put in.

There are two reasons that I can't use the ShellExecuteEx API.

First, I must run Microsoft Internet Explorer to view the HTML documents on the CD.  Just starting the default HTML application will not work.  I assume you meant to say the _default_ HTML application in your above response (as all HTML viewing programs would be registered in the Windows registry).

Second, I am using the program "Multimedia Builder" to create the autorun menu system and that program doesn't support using Windows API functions (it does support searching the registry however).

What I want is to look in one place (key) in any Windows registry to see if (1) Microsoft Internet Explorer is installed, and (2) determine the path to that executable.

There are two reasons that I can't use the ShellExecuteEx API.

First, I must run Microsoft Internet Explorer to view the HTML documents on the CD.  Just starting the default HTML application will not work.  I assume you meant to say the _default_ HTML application in your above response (as all HTML viewing programs would be registered in the Windows registry).

Second, I am using the program "Multimedia Builder" to create the autorun menu system and that program doesn't support using Windows API functions (it does support searching the registry however).

What I want is to look in one place (key) in any Windows registry to see if (1) Microsoft Internet Explorer is installed, and (2) determine the path to that executable.

jedimike - that's the first thing I did, and I came away with two possibilities:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0002DF01-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\LocalServer32

or

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}\shell\OpenHomePage\Command

Do either of these keys contain the path to "iexplore.exe" in your Windows registry?

On a different note, does anyone know why my comments are always being posted twice (I only click on submit once)?

i have it in programfiles\plus\micros...\iexplore.exe

That's it's location on your hard drive, correct?

If you run 'regedit' and goto the following key, what do you find?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{0002DF01-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\LocalServer32'

With any luck, it should be the path to the executable.

Please let me know.  Comments on the data in that key from anyone else would be appreciated as well.

The path to the executable is located in

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Netscape\Netscape Navigator\Main

Is this what you were looking for?

Actually, in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main, the path to the executable is not there (as I would expect it to be).

In, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Netscape\Netscape Navigator\Main, there is an entry for the "Installation Directory," but not specifically for the path to the executable.

I think I've found the entry I'm looking for, it's:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\IEXPLORE.EXE

I'll award points to anyone who can verify that this key exists in their Windows registry and contains the actual path to the executable in the (default) name entry (mine is: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\iexplore.exe).

I would be most interested in knowing if this key exists on computers  without Internet Explorer installed.

Thanks.

that key will be on any windows95 machine...cause ie comes with it.

Thanks.