Private Function LoadShapefile(strPath As String, _
strFile As String, strName As String) As ILayer
    ' Load the shapefile based on the given path and name.
    ' Shapefile is added to the focus map as a layer.
    ' Layer is returned when successful.
    Dim pWorkspaceFactory As IWorkspaceFactory
    Dim pFeatureWorkspace As IFeatureWorkspace
    Dim pFeatureClass As IFeatureClass
    Dim pFeatureLayer As IFeatureLayer
    Dim pMxDocument As IMxDocument
    Dim pMap As IMap
    Set pWorkspaceFactory = New ShapefileWorkspaceFactory
    Set pFeatureWorkspace = pWorkspaceFactory. _
    OpenFromFile(strPath, 0)
    Set pFeatureClass = pFeatureWorkspace. _
    OpenFeatureClass(strFile)
    Set pFeatureLayer = New FeatureLayer
    Set pFeatureLayer.FeatureClass = pFeatureClass
    ' Set the name and visibility of the layer.
    pFeatureLayer.Name = strName
    pFeatureLayer.Visible = True
    ' Add the shapefile to the focus map.
    Set pMxDocument = Application.Document
    Set pMap = pMxDocument.FocusMap
    pMap.AddLayer pFeatureLayer
    Set LoadShapefile = pFeatureLayer
End Function