ACC97: How to Convert Internet Shortcuts to Hyperlinks in a Table

• Microsoft Access 97

SUMMARY

Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.

This article shows you how to create a one-column Microsoft Access table whose records consist of hyperlinks that correspond to the Internet shortcuts in a folder.

MORE INFORMATION

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1. Start Windows Explorer and create a new folder on your hard disk called C:\MyShortcuts.



2. Copy several Internet shortcuts into the folder C:\MyShortcuts. You can copy Internet shortcuts from your Favorites folder. To locate the Favorites folder, on the Tools menu, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.



3. Start Microsoft Access and create a new, blank database.



4. Open a new module and type the following procedure:




   Function MakeShortcutTable(strTableName As String, _
            strDirectoryPath As String)

         Dim strGrab As String
         Dim strFileName As String
         Dim intFileNum As Integer
         Dim dbs As Database
         Dim Rst As Recordset
         Dim tdf As TableDef
         Dim fld As Field
         Dim nextChar As String
         

         ' Return reference to current database.
         Set dbs = CurrentDb

         ' Return TableDef object variable that points to new table.
         Set tdf = dbs.CreateTableDef(strTableName)

         ' Define new field in table.
         Set fld = tdf.CreateField("Link", dbMemo, 233)

         ' Append Field object to Fields collection of TableDef object.
         fld.Attributes = dbHyperlinkField
         tdf.Fields.Append fld
         tdf.Fields.Refresh

         ' Append TableDef object to TableDefs collection of database.
         dbs.TableDefs.Append tdf
         dbs.TableDefs.Refresh
         Set Rst = dbs.OpenRecordset(strTableName)
         strFileName = Dir(strDirectoryPath & "*.url")

         ' Loop to open each matching file in the current folder.
         Do While Len(strFileName) > 0
     
            intFileNum = FreeFile
            ' Open the file.
            Open strDirectoryPath & strFileName For Input As _
                #intFileNum
            ' Get first 24 characters.
             strGrab = Input(24, #intFileNum)
            strGrab = ""

            ' Loop until end of file.
            Do While Not EOF(intFileNum)
            nextChar = Input(1, #intFileNum)
            If nextChar = "[" Then Exit Do
              strGrab = strGrab & nextChar
              
            Loop

            Close #intFileNum    ' Close file.
            MsgBox Left(strFileName, Len(strFileName) - 4) & _
                  "#" & Left(strGrab, Len(strGrab) - 2) & "x"
            With Rst
               .AddNew
               !link = Left(strFileName, Len(strFileName) - 4) & _
                  "#" & Left(strGrab, Len(strGrab) - 2)
               .Update
            End With
            
            strFileName = Dir()
            ' Repeat the loop for all matching files
            ' in the current folder.
         Loop
         
      Rst.Close
      End Function
 

5. Press CTRL+G to open the Debug window.



6. Type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

   
   ?MakeShortcutTable("tblHyperlinks","c:\MyShortcuts\") 

   Note that after you run the procedure, a new table called tblHyperlinks appears in the database. Its data consists of hyperlinks that correspond to the Internet shortcuts in the folder C:\MyShortcuts.

REFERENCES

For more information about the parts of a Hyperlink field, search the Help Index for "hyperlinks, returning hyperlink information" or "hyperlinks, addresses" and then "About hyperlink addresses in hyperlink fields and controls."

Additional query words: inf favorite browser

Keywords          : kbdta kbdtacode MdlDao IntLink 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto 

Last Reviewed: July 6, 1999