How To Open Non-Excel File with Excel Mac VBA

Question

There are numerous Q&A's for Excel WINDOWS, but none for Excel MAC that specifically answer this question.

Using Excel Mac 2011 VBA, how do I open a non-Excel file using the file's default app?

After much research and testing, I figured out the answer. See below.

Answer 1

This works running Microsoft Excel 14.7.2 (14.7.2) on macOS 10.12.6.

```vb

Sub open_file()

Dim scriptStr As String
Dim hfsPath As String

hfsPath = "~:Documents:Test File To Open From Excel.txt"

'--- Create AppleScript to Open Non-Excel File ---
'       (Note: You cannot use POSIX path or POSIX commands)
'          So, I have allowed for the tilde in a HFS path
'         to mean the same as in a POSIX path:  Users Home Folder

scriptStr = "set hfsPath to """ & hfsPath & """" & vbNewLine & _
    "if (hfsPath starts with ""~"") then" & vbNewLine & _
    "   set homePath to (path to home folder) as text" & vbNewLine & _
    "   set hfsPath to homePath & (text 3 thru -1 of hfsPath)" & vbNewLine & _
    "end if" & vbNewLine & _
    "tell application ""Finder"" to open file hfsPath" & vbNewLine & _
    "return hfsPath"

 Debug.Print scriptStr

'--- Execute AppleScript to Open Non-Excel File ---

hfsPath = MacScript(scriptStr)
Debug.Print hfsPath

End Sub

```

For Excel Windows, see
How can Excel Windows VBA open file using default application