Access VBA Macro Programming

The Open File Dialog

The first thing you need to do is enter the module for the form you have created by

right-clicking the form, selecting Build Event from the pop-up menu, and then choosing

Code Builder. This will take you into the VBE window for that form.

Enter the following code into the module in the definitions section at the top:

Private Declare Function GetOpenFileName Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias _

"GetOpenFileNameA" (pOpenfilename As OPENFILENAME) As Long

Private Type OPENFILENAME

lStructSize As Long

hwndOwner As Long

hInstance As Long

lpstrFilter As String

lpstrCustomFilter As String

nMaxCustFilter As Long

nFilterIndex As Long

lpstrFile As String

nMaxFile As Long

lpstrFileTitle As String

nMaxFileTitle As Long

lpstrInitialDir As String

lpstrTitle As String

flags As Long

nFileOffset As Integer

nFileExtension As Integer

lpstrDefExt As String

lCustData As Long

lpfnHook As Long

lpTemplateName As String

End Type

The purpose of this is to declare the API function called GetOpenFileName and to create a

new data type called OPENFILENAME. The data type is used to hold variables to

manipulate the Open File control.

You then need to create a subroutine to use the API call to display the Open Form dialog

and to return the selection the user has made. Add the following code to your module:

Private Sub ShowFileDialog()

Dim MyFile As OPENFILENAME

Dim ReturnValue As Long

Dim strFilter As String

MyFile.lStructSize = Len(MyFile)

MyFile.hwndOwner = Me.hwnd

124 Microsoft Access 2010 VBA Macro Programming