Launcher.LaunchFileAsync(IStorageFile) | launchFileAsync(IStorageFile) method (Windows)

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Starts the default app associated with the specified file.

Syntax


Windows.System.Launcher.launchFileAsync(file).done( /* Your success and error handlers */ );

Parameters

file

Type: IStorageFile

The file.

Return value

Type: IAsyncOperation<Boolean>

The launch operation.

Remarks

The calling app must be visible to the user when the API is invoked.

This API also imposes several restrictions on what types of files it can launch. Many file types that contain executable code, for example .exe, .msi, and .js files, are blocked from launching. This restriction protects users from potentially malicious files that could modify the system.

When the launch fails for any of the above reasons, the API succeeds and returns FALSE from its asynchronous operation. Since it has no ability to query whether the above restrictions apply to the current launch, the calling app should not assume that the launch succeeded, and should provide fallback mechanism in case it failed. A possible solution would be to ask the user to save the file and direct the user to open it in the desktop.

To enable the user to choose an app instead of launching the default app, set the LauncherOptions.DisplayApplicationPicker | displayApplicationPicker property.

To display a warning that the file is potentially unsafe, set the LauncherOptions.TreatAsUntrusted | treatAsUntrusted property.

The file is passed to the associated app. If the associated app is a desktop app, the file is passed using shell execution mechanisms.

Examples

This example uses LaunchFileAsync(IStorageFile) | launchFileAsync(IStorageFile) to launch a file contained in the app package.

JavaScript

C++



// Path to the file in the app package to launch
var imageFile = "images\\test.png";

// Get the image file from the package's image directory
Windows.ApplicationModel.Package.current.installedLocation.getFileAsync(imageFile).then(
  function (file) {
    // Launch the retrieved file using the default app
    Windows.System.Launcher.launchFileAsync(file).then(
      function (success) {
        if (success) {
            // File launched
        } else {
            // File launch failed
        }
      });
  });

Requirements

Minimum supported client	Windows 8
Minimum supported server	Windows Server 2012
Minimum supported phone	Windows Phone 8
Namespace	Windows.System Windows::System [C++]
Metadata	Windows.winmd

Launcher.LaunchFileAsync(IStorageFile) | launchFileAsync(IStorageFile) method