how to load a local file in using an html document

Is there any way to load a local file using an html document that lives on my HD? I was thinking of making an html-based overview page of a project that I'm working on, but I can't seem to find a way to get the browser to open my text based files in the native application that they are bound to (for ex., TextWrangler or whatnot). Does anyone h开发者_高级运维ave experience with this?

It seems that the browser is by design, only allowed to handle files inline.

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It is definitely by design. You don't want the browser to have direct execution access to local files on your machine for security reasons.

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You can do it on Windows using ActiveX. There is a simple example at http://www.tutorial5.com/content/view/51/45/ and more elaborate schemes are possible. But ActiveX is not cross platform, and I doubt it is possible to do similar on proper secure operating systems.

Update: Here is a possible way to configure Firefox to do it on any operating system, but this would only really work for your own personal use: How open a local file with the associated program from a web page?

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You can write a script, which wraps your filenames (+ xyz-info) into a html-template.

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While you can refer to local files as file://users/me/Documents/stuff.txt its unlikely a user will have files where a remote server might expect. As well as the security implications of doing such a thing.