Viewing Word Documents in a Webbrowser Control.

[dynamic_sysop]

if you've ever tried to open a Word Document in a Webbrowser or InternetExplorer , you will be aware that it's not an automatic process. you will be presented with a " Download File " dialog box.

Well in i step ;) , here's my unique method of opening a Word Document in a Webbrowser...

   '/// NOTE : You need word installed to run this code...
   Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
       Dim DocViewer As New Threading.Thread(AddressOf ViewDocInWebbrowser)
       DocViewer.Start()
   End Sub

   Private Sub ViewDocInWebbrowser()
       Dim od As New OpenFileDialog()
       With od
           .InitialDirectory = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal)
           .Filter = "Word Documents|*.DOC"
           If .ShowDialog = DialogResult.OK Then
               Dim typeWord As Type = Type.GetTypeFromProgID("Word.Application")
               Dim WordApp As Object = Activator.CreateInstance(typeWord)

               Dim htmlFormat As Integer = 8
               Dim Docpath As Object() = {.FileName} '/// path to a valid .Doc file.
               Dim HtmPath As Object() = {Application.StartupPath & "\WordDoc.HTML", htmlFormat} '/// temp path to hold the html version of the .Doc file.

               Dim WordDocs As Object = typeWord.InvokeMember("Documents", Reflection.BindingFlags.GetProperty, Nothing, WordApp, Nothing)
               Dim doc As Object = WordDocs.GetType.InvokeMember("Open", Reflection.BindingFlags.InvokeMethod, Nothing, WordDocs, Docpath)
               doc.GetType.InvokeMember("SaveAs", Reflection.BindingFlags.InvokeMethod, Nothing, doc, HtmPath)

               WordApp.quit() '/// close the instance of Word down.

               browser.Navigate(HtmPath(0)) '/// load the Word Document in to the webbrowser.
           End If
       End With
   End Sub

   Private Sub browser_DocumentComplete(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As AxSHDocVw.DWebBrowserEvents2_DocumentCompleteEvent) Handles browser.DocumentComplete
       '/// clean up temporary files...
       If IO.File.Exists(Application.StartupPath & "\WordDoc.HTML") Then
           IO.File.Delete(Application.StartupPath & "\WordDoc.HTML") '/// remove the temp file.
       End If
       If IO.Directory.Exists(Application.StartupPath & "\WordDoc_files") Then
           Dim files As String() = IO.Directory.GetFiles(Application.StartupPath & "\WordDoc_files")
           Dim file As String
           For Each file In files
               IO.File.Delete(file)
           Next
           IO.Directory.Delete(Application.StartupPath & "\WordDoc_files") '/// remove the temp folder.
       End If
   End Sub

included is a zipped project source.

view doc file in browser.zip