Is there some URL prefix that can launch a MSN Messenger Conversation?

[Kevin Buchan]

Obviously, having a link with 'http://' at the beginning of it
launches the default browser and navigates to the address listed.
A link with 'mailto:' at the beginning starts an email with the
addressee already identified.

I was wondering if there is some type of prefix that would allow a MSN
Messenger conversation to be initiated. My firm is already
standardized on MSN Messenger and IE 5.5, so if the solution required
these in a proprietary solution, that'd be OK for now.

Thanks for any suggestions.
-Kevin Buchan
ke**********@REMOVETHISTOEMAILtroutmansanders.com

[Curt_C [MVP]]

"file:///c:\program files\messenger\msmsgs.exe"

put that in your address bar and hit enter
--
Curt Christianson
Owner/Lead Developer, DF-Software
www.Darkfalz.com
"Kevin Buchan" <ke**********@troutmanNOSPAMsanders.com> wrote in message
news:6k********************************@4ax.com...

Obviously, having a link with 'http://' at the beginning of it
launches the default browser and navigates to the address listed.
A link with 'mailto:' at the beginning starts an email with the
addressee already identified.

I was wondering if there is some type of prefix that would allow a MSN
Messenger conversation to be initiated. My firm is already
standardized on MSN Messenger and IE 5.5, so if the solution required
these in a proprietary solution, that'd be OK for now.

Thanks for any suggestions.
-Kevin Buchan
ke**********@REMOVETHISTOEMAILtroutmansanders.com

[Kevin Buchan]

Thanks to you and Curt_C for your replies.

In my situation, MSN Messenger is extremely likely to already be
running so it's not so much launching Messenger that I need to do, but
initiate a conversation with a someone by clicking a hyperlink.

I found that I can easily do this with an ActiveX control I made. Not
my ideal situation, but at least I have no security warnings.

Cheers!
-Kevin Buchan
ke**********@REMOVETHISTOEMAILtroutmansanders.com
On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 14:01:12 -0800, Jeremy
<an*******@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

One possible option (if your software isn't isntalled at the same location on every machine) is to use Windows Scripting Host to create a Shell object to run the application that has the same name your link provides. Not sure exactly what the code would look like but maybe something like:

<script language=vbscript runat=server>
Sub RunProg(prog)
Set ws = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
ws.Run chr(34) & prog & chr(34)
Set ws = Nothing
End Sub
</script><a onClick=RunProg("explorer.exe")>Windows Explorer</a>

Depending on your configuration you have to tweak some security settings.

HTH,
Jeremy