FolderItem.InvokeVerb method

Article
01/07/2021

Executes a verb on the item.

Syntax

FolderItem.InvokeVerb(
  [ vVerb ]
)

Parameters

vVerb [in, optional]

Type: Variant

A string that specifies the verb to be executed. It must be one of the values returned by the item's FolderItemVerb.Name property. If no verb is specified, the default verb will be invoked.

Return value

This method does not return a value.

Remarks

A verb is a string used to specify a particular action that an item supports. Invoking a verb is equivalent to selecting a command from an item's shortcut menu. Typically, invoking a verb launches a related application. For example, invoking the "open" verb on a .txt file opens the file with a text editor, usually Microsoft Notepad. See Launching Applications for further discussion of verbs.

The FolderItemVerbs object represents the collection of verbs associated with the item. The default verb may vary for different items, but it is typically "open".

Examples

The following example uses InvokeVerb to invoke the default verb ("open" in this case) on the Windows folder. Proper usage is shown for JScript, VBScript, and Visual Basic.

JScript:

<script language="JScript">
    function fnFolderItemInvokeVerbJ()
    {
        var objShell = new ActiveXObject("shell.application");
        var objFolder2;
        var ssfWINDOWS = 36;
        
        objFolder2 = objShell.NameSpace(ssfWINDOWS);
        if (objFolder2 != null)
        {
            var objFolderItem;
            
            objFolderItem = objFolder2.Self;
            if (objFolderItem != null)
            {
                var szReturn;
                
                objFolderItem.InvokeVerb();
            }
        }
    }
</script>

VBScript:

<script language="VBScript">
    function fnFolderItemInvokeVerbVB()
        dim objShell
        
        set objShell = CreateObject("shell.application")
        if (not objShell is nothing) then
            dim objFolder2
            dim ssfWINDOWS
                
            ssfWINDOWS = 36
            set objFolder2 = objShell.NameSpace(ssfWINDOWS)
            if (not objFolder2 is nothing) then
                dim objFolderItem
                        
                set objFolderItem = objFolder2.Self
                if (not objFolderItem is nothing) then
                    dim szReturn
                                
                    objFolderItem.InvokeVerb()
                end if
                set objFolderItem = nothing
            end if
            set objFolder2 = nothing
        end if
        set objShell = nothing
    end function
</script>

Visual Basic:

Private Sub fnFolderItemInvokeVerbVB()
    Dim objShell   As Shell
    Dim objFolder2 As Folder2
    Dim ssfWINDOWS As Long
    
    ssfWINDOWS = 36
    Set objShell = New Shell
    Set objFolder2 = objShell.NameSpace(ssfWINDOWS)
        If (Not objFolder2 Is Nothing) Then
            Dim objFolderItem As FolderItem
            
            Set objFolderItem = objFolder2.Self
                If (Not objFolderItem Is Nothing) Then
                    Dim szReturn As String
                    
                    objFolderItem.InvokeVerb
                Else
                    'FolderItem object returned nothing.
                End If
            Set objFolderItem = Nothing
        Else
            'Folder object returned nothing.
        End If
    Set objFolder2 = Nothing
    Set objShell = Nothing
End Sub

Requirements

Requirement	Value
Minimum supported client	Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP [desktop apps only]
Minimum supported server	Windows 2000 Server [desktop apps only]
Header	Shldisp.h
IDL	Shldisp.idl
DLL	Shell32.dll (version 4.71 or later)

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