How to use javascript or jQuery to open an excel html file in excel from the browser?

I've been trying to just use the window.open(href) to open an html excel file. It location on server is: /server/excelfiles/myexcel.xls, and I'm trying to open it in an excel app and not in an active x control in IE browser. Its this even possible to open up a file in the application instead of the browser?

How to use javascript or jQuery to open an excel html file in excel from the browser?

I've been trying to just use the window.open(href) to open an html excel file. It location on server is: /server/excelfiles/myexcel.xls, and I'm trying to open it in an excel app and not in an active x control in IE browser. Its this even possible to open up a file in the application instead of the browser?

• javascript
• jquery
• html
• excel

4 Answers 4

Two methods:

<a href="/server/excelfiles/myexcel.xls" target="_blank">open myexcel.xls</a> 

or via JS:

function openExcelFile(strFilePath) {
    if (window.ActiveXObject) {
        try {
            var objExcel;
            objExcel = new ActiveXObject("Excel.Application");
            objExcel.Visible = true;
            objExcel.Workbooks.Open(strLocation, false, [readonly: true|false]);
        }
        catch (e) {
            alert (e.message);
        }
    }
    else {
        alert ("Your browser does not support this.");
    }
}

if you link to the xls file, the user will be asked if he wants to download it (or will download it automatically)... then, depending on his settings, it will open automatically in excel or, what's more likely, it just ended up in his downloads folder and he has to open it manually.

In javascript you cannot access to the client softwares or hardisk (for security reason). You only can trigger the download of the xls file and open it manually

This link is informational and work in opening it up in a browser: http://www.dynamicdrive./forums/showthread.php?t=6138.

This link is key for opening the file based on file type: http://www.codingforums./showthread.php?t=99465

Notice the rel attribute is set to nofollow , and the target is set to '_blank'.

document.location.rel="nofollow" target='_blank';
document.location.href="index.php?hitCount=1&linkID=" + linkID;