Standard windows dialogue for selecting a folder?

Jonathan · Oct 21, 1999

I am using the Windows API in my application to allow the user to easily select files to open using the standard windows Open File box. I also need to provide some means of selecting a folder. An example of what I want can be seen by going to the start menu, clicking Find - Files or Folders and clicking the Browse... button next to the Look In combo. 
 
Does anyone know if there is a Win API function or other easy method for achieving this (preferably without getting new ActiveX controls) 
 
Cheers 
 
Jonathan

RoyLofquist · Oct 21, 1999

The following class allows you to specify the starting folder and filter(s). For multiple choice folders I would suggest a local DB (.mdb?) to save your favorites. 
 
 
Option Explicit 
 
Private Type OPENFILENAME 
StructSize As Long 
hwndOwner As Long 
hInstance As Long 
Filter As String 
CustomFilter As String 
MaxCustFilter As Long 
FilterIndex As Long 
FileFilterIndex As String 
MaxFile As Long 
FileTitle As String 
MaxFileTitle As Long 
InitialDir As String 
Title As String 
flags As Long 
FileOffset As Integer 
FileExtension As Integer 
DefExt As String 
CustData As Long 
Hook As Long 
TemplateName As String 
End Type 
 
Private Declare Function GetOpenFileName Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias "GetOpenFileNameA" (pOpenfilename _ 
As OPENFILENAME) As Long 
 
Private Declare Function GetSaveFileName Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias "GetSaveFileNameA" (pOpenfilename _ 
As OPENFILENAME) As Long 
 
Private DefaultExt_ As String 
Private DialogTitle_ As String 
Private FileName_ As String 
Private FileTitle_ As String 
Private InitialDir_ As String 
Private Filter_ As String 
Private FilterIndex_ As Integer 
Private Flags_ As FileFlags 
Private MaxFileSize_ As Integer 
Private hWndParent_ As Long 
 
Private Const MaxFileLength As Integer = 260 
 
Public Enum FileFlags 
FileReadOnly = &H1 
FileOverWritePrompt = &H2 
FileHideReadOnly = &H4 
FileNoChangeDir = &H8 
FileShowHelp = &H10 
FileEnableHook = &H20 
FileEnableTemplate = &H40 
FileEnableTemplateHandle = &H80 
FileNoValidate = &H100 
FileAllowMultiSelect = &H200 
FileExtensionDifferent = &H400 
FilePathMustExist = &H800 
FileFileMustExist = &H1000 
FileCreatePrompt = &H2000 
FileShareAware = &H4000 
FileNoReadOnlyReturn = &H8000 
FileNoTestFileCreate = &H10000 
FileNoNetworkButton = &H20000 
FileExplorer = &H80000 
FileLongnames = &H200000 
End Enum 
 
 
Public Property Get DefaultExt() As String 
DefaultExt = DefaultExt_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let DefaultExt(ByVal strValue As String) 
DefaultExt_ = strValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get DialogTitle() As String 
DialogTitle = DialogTitle_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let DialogTitle(ByVal strValue As String) 
DialogTitle_ = strValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get FileName() As String 
FileName = FileName_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let FileName(ByVal strValue As String) 
FileName_ = strValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get FileTitle() As String 
FileTitle = FileTitle_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let FileTitle(ByVal strValue As String) 
FileTitle_ = strValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get Filter() As String 
Filter = Filter_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let Filter(ByVal FilterValue As String) 
Filter_ = FilterValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get FilterIndex() As Integer 
FilterIndex = FilterIndex_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let FilterIndex(ByVal intValue As Integer) 
FilterIndex_ = intValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get flags() As FileFlags 
flags = Flags_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let flags(ByVal eValue As FileFlags) 
Flags_ = eValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get hWndParent() As Long 
hWndParent = hWndParent_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let hWndParent(ByVal lngValue As Long) 
hWndParent_ = lngValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get InitialDir() As String 
InitialDir = InitialDir_ 
End Property 
 
Public Property Let InitialDir(ByVal strValue As String) 
InitialDir_ = strValue 
End Property 
 
Public Property Get MaxFileSize() As Integer 
MaxFileSize = MaxFileSize_ 
End Property 
Public Property Let MaxFileSize(ByVal intValue As Integer) 
MaxFileSize_ = intValue 
End Property 
 
Public Function Show(fOpen As Boolean) As Boolean 
Dim of As OPENFILENAME 
Dim strChar As String * 1 
Dim intCounter As Integer 
Dim strTemp As String 
 
On Error GoTo PROC_ERR 
 
' Initialize the OPENFILENAME type 
of.Title = DialogTitle_ & "" 
of.flags = Flags_ 
of.DefExt = DefaultExt_ & "" 
of.StructSize = LenB(of) 
of.Filter = Filter_ & "¦¦" 
of.FilterIndex = FilterIndex_ 
 
' To make Windows-style filter, replace pipes with nulls 
For intCounter = 1 To Len(Filter_) 
strChar = Mid$(Filter_, intCounter, 1) 
If strChar = "¦" Then 
strTemp = strTemp & vbNullChar 
Else 
strTemp = strTemp & strChar 
End If 
Next 
 
' Put double null at end 
strTemp = strTemp & vbNullChar & vbNullChar 
of.Filter = strTemp 
 
' Pad file and file title buffers to maximum path length 
strTemp = FileName_ & String$(MaxFileLength - Len(FileName_), 0) 
of.FileFilterIndex = strTemp 
of.MaxFile = MaxFileLength 
 
strTemp = FileTitle_ & String$(MaxFileLength - Len(FileTitle_), 0) 
of.FileTitle = strTemp 
of.InitialDir = InitialDir_ 
of.MaxFileTitle = MaxFileLength 
of.hwndOwner = hWndParent_ 
 
' If fOpen is true, show the Open file dialog, otherwise show the Save dialog 
If fOpen Then 
If GetOpenFileName(of) Then 
Show = True 
' Assign property variables to appropriate values 
FileName_ = TrimNulls(of.FileFilterIndex) 
FileTitle_ = TrimNulls(of.FileTitle) 
Else 
Show = False 
End If 
Else 
If GetSaveFileName(of) Then 
Show = True 
' Assign property variables to appropriate values 
FileName_ = TrimNulls(of.FileFilterIndex) 
FileTitle_ = TrimNulls(of.FileTitle) 
Else 
Show = False 
End If 
End If 
 
PROC_EXIT: 
 
 
Exit Function 
 
PROC_ERR: 
 
 
MsgBox "Error: " & Err.Number & ". " & Err.Description, , "Show" 
Resume PROC_EXIT 
 
End Function 
 
Private Function TrimNulls(ByVal strIn As String) As String 
Dim intPos As Integer 
On Error GoTo PROC_ERR 
intPos = InStr(strIn, vbNullChar) 
If intPos = 0 Then 
TrimNulls = strIn 
Else 
If intPos = 1 Then 
TrimNulls = "" 
Else 
TrimNulls = Left$(strIn, intPos - 1) 
End If 
End If 
 
PROC_EXIT: 
 
 
Exit Function 
 
PROC_ERR: 
 
 
MsgBox "Error: " & Err.Number & ". " & Err.Description, , "TrimNulls" 
Resume PROC_EXIT 
 
End Function

Jonathan · Oct 25, 1999

Thanks 
 
I already have some similar code, however I need to allow the user to select a folder, not a file. Can this be done using the standard windows Open box?

1973yoav · Oct 17, 2001

Hi here a link for your code:

http://www.vb2themax.com/Item.asp?PageID=CodeBank&ID=359

yoav

Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

Standard windows dialogue for selecting a folder?

Jonathan

Programmer

RoyLofquist

Programmer

Jonathan

Programmer

1973yoav

Programmer

Similar threads

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor