Application.FollowHyperlink Method

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The FollowHyperlink method opens the document or Web page specified by a hyperlink address.

Syntax

expression.FollowHyperlink(Address, SubAddress, NewWindow, AddHistory, ExtraInfo, Method, HeaderInfo)

expression   A variable that represents an Application object.

Parameters

Name Required/Optional Data Type Description
Address Required String A string expression that evaluates to a valid hyperlink address.
SubAddress Optional String A string expression that evaluates to a named location in the document specified by the address argument. The default is a zero-length string (" ").
NewWindow Optional Boolean A Boolean value where True (–1) opens the document in a new window and False (0) opens the document in the current window. The default is False.
AddHistory Optional Boolean A Boolean value where True adds the hyperlink to the History folder and False doesn't add the hyperlink to the History folder. The default is True.
ExtraInfo Optional Variant A string or an array of Byte data that specifies additional information for navigating to a hyperlink. For example, this argument may be used to specify a search parameter for an .asp or .idc file. In your Web browser, the extrainfo argument may appear after the hyperlink address, separated from the address by a question mark (?). You don't need to include the question mark when you specify the extrainfo argument.
Method Optional MsoExtraInfoMethod A MsoExtraInfoMethod constant that specifies how the extrainfo argument is attached.
HeaderInfo Optional String A string that specifies header information. By default the headerinfo argument is a zero-length string.

Remarks

By using the FollowHyperlink method, you can follow a hyperlink that doesn't exist in a control. This hyperlink may be supplied by you or by the user. For example, you can prompt a user to enter a hyperlink address in a dialog box, then use the FollowHyperlink method to follow that hyperlink.

You can use the extrainfo and method arguments to supply additional information when navigating to a hyperlink. For example, you can supply parameters to a search engine.

You can use the Follow method to follow a hyperlink associated with a control.

Example

The following function prompts a user for a hyperlink address and then follows the hyperlink:

Visual Basic for Applications 
  Function GetUserAddress() As Boolean
    Dim strInput As String

On Error GoTo Error_GetUserAddress
strInput = InputBox("Enter a valid address")
Application.<strong class="bterm">FollowHyperlink</strong> strInput, , True
GetUserAddress = True



Exit_GetUserAddress:
Exit Function


Error_GetUserAddress:
MsgBox Err & ": " & Err.Description
GetUserAddress = False
Resume Exit_GetUserAddress
End Function

You could call this function with a procedure such as the following:

Visual Basic for Applications 
  Sub CallGetUserAddress()
    If GetUserAddress = True Then
        MsgBox "Successfully followed hyperlink."
    Else
        MsgBox "Could not follow hyperlink."
    End If
End Sub

See Also