Launch MS Word Application On The Client Machine From Web Form. (All Browsers)

Question

I want to launch a new instance of MS Word from my client web browser. Like the way Sharepoint does. How can I do that? I don't want to host the Office file in my browser. I want to edit them in the application itself. People keep saying it is not possible. So how SharePoint does that? I'm looking for a cross-platform manner.

Answer 1

If a website would be able to launch a process of choice with parameters of choice on the client machine, this would be a massive security breach - basically "game over". If you do not believe this, think e.g. of the process cmd.exe and the parameters /c del /s /y C:\*.*

Sharepoint uses the fact, that it is not "just another website", but part of the trusted network infrastructure, integrated with the windows client and Internet Explorer. Reproducing this in a cross-platform manner is not only extremly technically difficult, but also simply prohibited wherever US patent law is of any importance.

Answer 2

I think I found an answer to this question. By implementing external protocol handler in modern browsers, you can achieve the task of the question. Read more:

1. External Protocol Handlers and Modern Browsers
2. https://weblogs.asp.net/morteza/How-to-run-a-desktop-application-from-a-web-page
3. https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/332206/Custom-URL-Protocol-for-Invoking-Application