\versionadded{1.6}
\end{datadesc}
-\begin{funcdesc}{startfile}{path}
-Start a file with its associated application. This acts like
+\begin{funcdesc}{startfile}{path\optional{, operation}}
+Start a file with its associated application.
+
+When \var{operation} is not specified or \code{'open'}, this acts like
double-clicking the file in Windows Explorer, or giving the file name
as an argument to the \program{start} command from the interactive
command shell: the file is opened with whatever application (if any)
its extension is associated.
+When another \var{operation} is given, it must be a ``command verb''
+that specifies what should be done with the file.
+Common verbs documented by Microsoft are \code{'print'} and
+\code{'edit'} (to be used on files) as well as \code{'explore'} and
+\code{'find'} (to be used on directories).
+
\function{startfile()} returns as soon as the associated application
is launched. There is no option to wait for the application to close,
and no way to retrieve the application's exit status. The \var{path}
function to ensure that the path is properly encoded for Win32.
Availability: Windows.
\versionadded{2.0}
+\versionadded[The \var{operation} parameter]{2.5}
\end{funcdesc}
\begin{funcdesc}{system}{command}
#ifdef MS_WINDOWS
PyDoc_STRVAR(win32_startfile__doc__,
-"startfile(filepath) - Start a file with its associated application.\n\
+"startfile(filepath [, operation]) - Start a file with its associated\n\
+application.\n\
\n\
-This acts like double-clicking the file in Explorer, or giving the file\n\
-name as an argument to the DOS \"start\" command: the file is opened\n\
-with whatever application (if any) its extension is associated.\n\
+When \"operation\" is not specified or \"open\", this acts like\n\
+double-clicking the file in Explorer, or giving the file name as an\n\
+argument to the DOS \"start\" command: the file is opened with whatever\n\
+application (if any) its extension is associated.\n\
+When another \"operation\" is given, it specifies what should be done with\n\
+the file. A typical operation is \"print\".\n\
\n\
startfile returns as soon as the associated application is launched.\n\
There is no option to wait for the application to close, and no way\n\
win32_startfile(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
{
char *filepath;
+ char *operation = NULL;
HINSTANCE rc;
- if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "et:startfile",
- Py_FileSystemDefaultEncoding, &filepath))
+ if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "et|s:startfile",
+ Py_FileSystemDefaultEncoding, &filepath,
+ &operation))
return NULL;
Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
- rc = ShellExecute((HWND)0, NULL, filepath, NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);
+ rc = ShellExecute((HWND)0, operation, filepath,
+ NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);
Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
if (rc <= (HINSTANCE)32) {
PyObject *errval = win32_error("startfile", filepath);