I'm working with output files from an in-house finite element program and the solution files are just text files with custom extensions (.bms, .loadcase, .spc, etc.). I'm trying to read these into dictionaries, but I'm having issues getting into the files.

If I navigate to the files outside of VBA, i get the "program not found, please select a program to open with" or whatever it says. If I do this once with NotePad, it's in the system memory and I can then access the one file through VBA, but this would be inefficient to do with almost hundreds of files.

I'd like this to run without opening NotePad, like running an FSO stream or Open...For method.

Currently I'm looping through an output folder containing all the files until I find a specific extension, then attempting to read like this


file = dir(dataform.file1) 'user selects a file in the root folder with getopenfilename

do while file <> ""
  if instr(file, ".bms") > 0 then
     open file for Random as #1   ''''''''Kicks me out here''''''''''
     'do things with awesome code
  end if 
  file = dir
loop
Any input is appreciated, thanks!

khu