Launch a URL from a WinForms app

Question

I've got a WinForms app in which I have the need to refer the user to a web page with documentation/help. I realize the LinkButton would get the trick done, but what I want is a standard Button control to launch the system default browser when that button is clicked. The only reference code I've got for this references the Win32 API, hooking the ShellExecute command:

ShellExecute(Me.Handle.ToInt32, "Open", "http://www.stackoverflow.com/", CStr(0), CStr(0), WindowStyle.SW_MAXIMIZE)

Does anyone else know how to do this in a "proper and pure" dotnet way?

Answer 1

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("http://www.website.com")

should work

Answer 2

Remember to wrap that call in a Try...Catch block for Win32Exception. Firewall software like ZoneAlarm allow users to cancel the page opening which will cause an "An error occurred in sending the command to the application" exception.