How to start default browser with a URL(with spaces and #) for a local file? Delphi

Question

I want to open a local HTML file in the default browser.

For example: Default Browser is Mozilla Firefox.

The file to be opened: C:\\My Custom Path\\New Folde

Answer 1

Here is my implementation that supports all common web browsers and Microsoft Edge (Windows Store App).
It refers to the issues with queries (?) and fragments (#) in the URI and the issue with file:/// protocol in combination with the Edge browser.
(I use it for HTML output of "Flare" software, that's why the "help" in the naming of variables)

// AHelpFileName := 'C:\temp\Default.htm';
// AHelpID := '123';

procedure TSomeClass.OpenHelp(const AHelpFileName, AHelpID: string);
var
  URL: string;
  BrowserPath, FileName, Parameters: PWideChar;
begin
  URL := Format('file:///%s', [AHelpFileName]);
  if AHelpID <> '' then
    URL := Format('%s#cshid=%s', [URL, AHelpID])

  URL := StringReplace(URL, '\', '/', [rfReplaceAll]);
  URL := StringReplace(URL, ' ', '%20', [rfReplaceAll]);

  BrowserPath := StrAlloc(MAX_PATH);
  Parameters := nil;

  if FindExecutable(PWideChar(AHelpFileName), nil, BrowserPath) > 32 then
  begin
    Parameters := PWideChar(URL);

    if SameText(ExtractFileName(BrowserPath), 'LaunchWinApp.exe') then
      // Default browser is a Windows Store App (and most likely it is Edge)
      FileName := 'shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge'
    else
      // IE, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Vivaldi, ...
      FileName := BrowserPath;
  end
  else
    FileName := PWideChar(URL);

  ShellExecute(0, nil, FileName, Parameters, nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL);
end;