FolderBrowserDialog Class
Represents a common dialog box that allows the user to choose a folder. This class cannot be inherited.
For a list of all members of this type, see FolderBrowserDialog Members.
System.Object
System.MarshalByRefObject
System.ComponentModel.Component
System.Windows.Forms.CommonDialog
System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog
[Visual Basic] NotInheritable Public Class FolderBrowserDialog Inherits CommonDialog [C#] public sealed class FolderBrowserDialog : CommonDialog [C++] public __gc __sealed class FolderBrowserDialog : public CommonDialog [JScript] public class FolderBrowserDialog extends CommonDialog
Thread Safety
Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.
Remarks
This class provides a way to prompt the user to browse, create, and eventually select a folder. Use this class when you only want to allow the user to select folders, not files. Browsing of the folders is done through a tree control. Only folders from the file system can be selected. Virtual folders cannot.
Typically, after creating a new FolderBrowserDialog, you set the RootFolder to the location from which to start browsing. Optionally, you can set the SelectedPath to an absolute path of a subfolder of RootFolder that will initially be selected. You can also optionally set the Description property to provide additional instructions to the user. Finally, call the ShowDialog method to display the dialog box to the user. When the dialog box is closed and the dialog result from ShowDialog is DialogResult.OK, the SelectedPath will be a string containing the path to the selected folder.
You can use the ShowNewFolderButton property to control if the user is able to create new folders via the New Folder button.
FolderBrowserDialog is a modal dialog box; therefore, when shown, it blocks the rest of the application until the user has chosen a folder. When a dialog box is displayed modally, no input (keyboard or mouse click) can occur except to objects on the dialog box. The program must hide or close the dialog box (usually in response to some user action) before input to the calling program can occur.
Example
[Visual Basic] ' The following example displays an application that provides the ability to ' open rich text files (rtf) into the RichTextBox. The example demonstrates ' using the FolderBrowserDialog to set the default directory for opening files. ' The OpenFileDialog class is used to open the file. Imports System Imports System.Drawing Imports System.Windows.Forms Imports System.IO Public Class FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm Inherits Form Private folderBrowserDialog1 As FolderBrowserDialog Private openFileDialog1 As OpenFileDialog Private richTextBox1 As RichTextBox Private mainMenu1 As MainMenu Private fileMenuItem As MenuItem Private WithEvents folderMenuItem As MenuItem, _ closeMenuItem As MenuItem, _ openMenuItem As MenuItem Private openFileName As String, folderName As String Private fileOpened As Boolean = False Public Sub New() Me.mainMenu1 = New System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu() Me.fileMenuItem = New System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem() Me.openMenuItem = New System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem() Me.folderMenuItem = New System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem() Me.closeMenuItem = New System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem() Me.openFileDialog1 = New System.Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog() Me.folderBrowserDialog1 = New System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog() Me.richTextBox1 = New System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox() Me.mainMenu1.MenuItems.Add(Me.fileMenuItem) Me.fileMenuItem.MenuItems.AddRange( _ New System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem() {Me.openMenuItem, _ Me.closeMenuItem, _ Me.folderMenuItem}) Me.fileMenuItem.Text = "File" Me.openMenuItem.Text = "Open..." Me.folderMenuItem.Text = "Select Directory..." Me.closeMenuItem.Text = "Close" Me.closeMenuItem.Enabled = False Me.openFileDialog1.DefaultExt = "rtf" Me.openFileDialog1.Filter = "rtf files (*.rtf)|*.rtf" ' Set the Help text description for the FolderBrowserDialog. Me.folderBrowserDialog1.Description = _ "Select the directory that you want to use As the default." ' Do not allow the user to create New files via the FolderBrowserDialog. Me.folderBrowserDialog1.ShowNewFolderButton = False ' Default to the My Documents folder. Me.folderBrowserDialog1.RootFolder = Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal Me.richTextBox1.AcceptsTab = True Me.richTextBox1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(8, 8) Me.richTextBox1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(280, 344) Me.richTextBox1.Anchor = AnchorStyles.Top Or AnchorStyles.Left Or _ AnchorStyles.Bottom Or AnchorStyles.Right Me.AutoScaleBaseSize = New System.Drawing.Size(5, 13) Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(296, 360) Me.Controls.Add(Me.richTextBox1) Me.Menu = Me.mainMenu1 Me.Text = "RTF Document Browser" End Sub <STAThread()> _ Shared Sub Main() Application.Run(New FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm()) End Sub ' Bring up a dialog to open a file. Private Sub openMenuItem_Click(sender As object, e As System.EventArgs) _ Handles openMenuItem.Click ' If a file is not opened, then set the initial directory to the ' FolderBrowserDialog.SelectedPath value. If (not fileOpened) Then openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = folderBrowserDialog1.SelectedPath openFileDialog1.FileName = nothing End If ' Display the openFile dialog. Dim result As DialogResult = openFileDialog1.ShowDialog() ' OK button was pressed. If (result = DialogResult.OK) Then openFileName = openFileDialog1.FileName Try ' Output the requested file in richTextBox1. Dim s As Stream = openFileDialog1.OpenFile() richTextBox1.LoadFile(s, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText) s.Close() fileOpened = True Catch exp As Exception MessageBox.Show("An error occurred while attempting to load the file. The error is:" _ + System.Environment.NewLine + exp.ToString() + System.Environment.NewLine) fileOpened = False End Try Invalidate() closeMenuItem.Enabled = fileOpened ' Cancel button was pressed. ElseIf (result = DialogResult.Cancel) Then return End If End Sub ' Close the current file. Private Sub closeMenuItem_Click(sender As object, e As System.EventArgs) _ Handles closeMenuItem.Click richTextBox1.Text = "" fileOpened = False closeMenuItem.Enabled = False End Sub ' Bring up a dialog to chose a folder path in which to open or save a file. Private Sub folderMenuItem_Click(sender As object, e As System.EventArgs) _ Handles folderMenuItem.Click ' Show the FolderBrowserDialog. Dim result As DialogResult = folderBrowserDialog1.ShowDialog() If ( result = DialogResult.OK ) Then folderName = folderBrowserDialog1.SelectedPath If (not fileOpened) Then ' No file is opened, bring up openFileDialog in selected path. openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = folderName openFileDialog1.FileName = nothing openMenuItem.PerformClick() End If End If End Sub End Class [C#] // The following example displays an application that provides the ability to // open rich text files (rtf) into the RichTextBox. The example demonstrates // using the FolderBrowserDialog to set the default directory for opening files. // The OpenFileDialog class is used to open the file. using System; using System.Drawing; using System.Windows.Forms; using System.IO; public class FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm : System.Windows.Forms.Form { private FolderBrowserDialog folderBrowserDialog1; private OpenFileDialog openFileDialog1; private RichTextBox richTextBox1; private MainMenu mainMenu1; private MenuItem fileMenuItem, openMenuItem; private MenuItem folderMenuItem, closeMenuItem; private string openFileName, folderName; private bool fileOpened = false; // The main entry point for the application. static void Main() { Application.Run(new FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm()); } // Constructor. public FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm() { this.mainMenu1 = new System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu(); this.fileMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem(); this.openMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem(); this.folderMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem(); this.closeMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem(); this.openFileDialog1 = new System.Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog(); this.folderBrowserDialog1 = new System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog(); this.richTextBox1 = new System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox(); this.mainMenu1.MenuItems.Add(this.fileMenuItem); this.fileMenuItem.MenuItems.AddRange( new System.Windows.Forms.MenuItem[] {this.openMenuItem, this.closeMenuItem, this.folderMenuItem}); this.fileMenuItem.Text = "File"; this.openMenuItem.Text = "Open..."; this.openMenuItem.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.openMenuItem_Click); this.folderMenuItem.Text = "Select Directory..."; this.folderMenuItem.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.folderMenuItem_Click); this.closeMenuItem.Text = "Close"; this.closeMenuItem.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.closeMenuItem_Click); this.closeMenuItem.Enabled = false; this.openFileDialog1.DefaultExt = "rtf"; this.openFileDialog1.Filter = "rtf files (*.rtf)|*.rtf"; // Set the help text description for the FolderBrowserDialog. this.folderBrowserDialog1.Description = "Select the directory that you want to use as the default."; // Do not allow the user to create new files via the FolderBrowserDialog. this.folderBrowserDialog1.ShowNewFolderButton = false; // Default to the My Documents folder. this.folderBrowserDialog1.RootFolder = Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal; this.richTextBox1.AcceptsTab = true; this.richTextBox1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(8, 8); this.richTextBox1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(280, 344); this.richTextBox1.Anchor = AnchorStyles.Top | AnchorStyles.Left | AnchorStyles.Bottom | AnchorStyles.Right; this.AutoScaleBaseSize = new System.Drawing.Size(5, 13); this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(296, 360); this.Controls.Add(this.richTextBox1); this.Menu = this.mainMenu1; this.Text = "RTF Document Browser"; } // Bring up a dialog to open a file. private void openMenuItem_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { // If a file is not opened, then set the initial directory to the // FolderBrowserDialog.SelectedPath value. if (!fileOpened) { openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = folderBrowserDialog1.SelectedPath; openFileDialog1.FileName = null; } // Display the openFile dialog. DialogResult result = openFileDialog1.ShowDialog(); // OK button was pressed. if(result == DialogResult.OK) { openFileName = openFileDialog1.FileName; try { // Output the requested file in richTextBox1. Stream s = openFileDialog1.OpenFile(); richTextBox1.LoadFile(s, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText); s.Close(); fileOpened = true; } catch(Exception exp) { MessageBox.Show("An error occurred while attempting to load the file. The error is:" + System.Environment.NewLine + exp.ToString() + System.Environment.NewLine); fileOpened = false; } Invalidate(); closeMenuItem.Enabled = fileOpened; } // Cancel button was pressed. else if(result == DialogResult.Cancel) { return; } } // Close the current file. private void closeMenuItem_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { richTextBox1.Text = ""; fileOpened = false; closeMenuItem.Enabled = false; } // Bring up a dialog to chose a folder path in which to open or save a file. private void folderMenuItem_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { // Show the FolderBrowserDialog. DialogResult result = folderBrowserDialog1.ShowDialog(); if( result == DialogResult.OK ) { folderName = folderBrowserDialog1.SelectedPath; if(!fileOpened) { // No file is opened, bring up openFileDialog in selected path. openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = folderName; openFileDialog1.FileName = null; openMenuItem.PerformClick(); } } } } [C++] // The following example displays an application that provides the ability to // open rich text files (rtf) into the RichTextBox. The example demonstrates // using the FolderBrowserDialog to set the default directory for opening files. // The OpenFileDialog is used to open the file. #using <mscorlib.dll> #using <System.dll> #using <System.Windows.Forms.dll> #using <System.Drawing.dll> using namespace System; using namespace System::Drawing; using namespace System::Windows::Forms; using namespace System::IO; public __gc class FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm : public System::Windows::Forms::Form { private: FolderBrowserDialog* folderBrowserDialog1; OpenFileDialog* openFileDialog1; RichTextBox* richTextBox1; MainMenu* mainMenu1; MenuItem* fileMenuItem; MenuItem* openMenuItem; MenuItem* folderMenuItem; MenuItem* closeMenuItem; String* openFileName; String* folderName; bool fileOpened; public: // Constructor. FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm() { fileOpened = false; this->mainMenu1 = new System::Windows::Forms::MainMenu(); this->fileMenuItem = new System::Windows::Forms::MenuItem(); this->openMenuItem = new System::Windows::Forms::MenuItem(); this->folderMenuItem = new System::Windows::Forms::MenuItem(); this->closeMenuItem = new System::Windows::Forms::MenuItem(); this->openFileDialog1 = new System::Windows::Forms::OpenFileDialog(); this->folderBrowserDialog1 = new System::Windows::Forms::FolderBrowserDialog(); this->richTextBox1 = new System::Windows::Forms::RichTextBox(); this->mainMenu1->MenuItems->Add(this->fileMenuItem); System::Windows::Forms::MenuItem* temp0 [] = {this->openMenuItem, this->closeMenuItem, this->folderMenuItem}; this->fileMenuItem->MenuItems->AddRange(temp0); this->fileMenuItem->Text = S"File"; this->openMenuItem->Text = S"Open..."; this->openMenuItem->Click += new System::EventHandler(this, &FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm::openMenuItem_Click); this->folderMenuItem->Text = S"Select Directory..."; this->folderMenuItem->Click += new System::EventHandler(this, &FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm::folderMenuItem_Click); this->closeMenuItem->Text = S"Close"; this->closeMenuItem->Click += new System::EventHandler(this, &FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm::closeMenuItem_Click); this->closeMenuItem->Enabled = false; this->openFileDialog1->DefaultExt = S"rtf"; this->openFileDialog1->Filter = S"rtf files (*.rtf)|*.rtf"; // Set the help text description for the FolderBrowserDialog. this->folderBrowserDialog1->Description = S"Select the directory that you want to use as the default."; // Do not allow the user to create new files via the FolderBrowserDialog. this->folderBrowserDialog1->ShowNewFolderButton = false; // Default to the My Documents folder. this->folderBrowserDialog1->RootFolder = Environment::SpecialFolder::Personal; this->richTextBox1->AcceptsTab = true; this->richTextBox1->Location = System::Drawing::Point(8, 8); this->richTextBox1->Size = System::Drawing::Size(280, 344); this->richTextBox1->Anchor = static_cast<AnchorStyles>(AnchorStyles::Top | AnchorStyles::Left | AnchorStyles::Bottom | AnchorStyles::Right); this->AutoScaleBaseSize = System::Drawing::Size(5, 13); this->ClientSize = System::Drawing::Size(296, 360); this->Controls->Add(this->richTextBox1); this->Menu = this->mainMenu1; this->Text = S"RTF Document Browser"; } private: // Bring up a dialog to open a file. void openMenuItem_Click(Object* /*sender*/, System::EventArgs* /*e*/) { // If a file is not opened then set the initial directory to the // FolderBrowserDialog::SelectedPath value. if (!fileOpened) { openFileDialog1->InitialDirectory = folderBrowserDialog1->SelectedPath; openFileDialog1->FileName = 0; } // Display the openFile Dialog. System::Windows::Forms::DialogResult result = openFileDialog1->ShowDialog(); // OK button was pressed. if (result == DialogResult::OK) { openFileName = openFileDialog1->FileName; try { // Output the requested file in richTextBox1. Stream* s = openFileDialog1->OpenFile(); richTextBox1->LoadFile(s, RichTextBoxStreamType::RichText); s->Close(); fileOpened = true; } catch (Exception* exp) { MessageBox::Show(String::Concat( S"An error occurred while attempting to load the file. The error is: ", System::Environment::NewLine, exp, System::Environment::NewLine)); fileOpened = false; } Invalidate(); closeMenuItem->Enabled = fileOpened; } // Cancel button was pressed. else if (result == DialogResult::Cancel) { return; } } // Close the current file. void closeMenuItem_Click(Object* /*sender*/, System::EventArgs* /*e*/) { richTextBox1->Text = S""; fileOpened = false; closeMenuItem->Enabled = false; } // Bring up a dialog to chose a folder path in which to open/save a file. void folderMenuItem_Click(Object* /*sender*/, System::EventArgs* /*e*/) { // Show the FolderBrowserDialog. System::Windows::Forms::DialogResult result = folderBrowserDialog1->ShowDialog(); if (result == DialogResult::OK) { folderName = folderBrowserDialog1->SelectedPath; if (!fileOpened) { // No file is opened, bring up openFileDialog in selected path. openFileDialog1->InitialDirectory = folderName; openFileDialog1->FileName = 0; openMenuItem->PerformClick(); } } } }; // The main entry point for the application. int main() { Application::Run(new FolderBrowserDialogExampleForm()); }
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Requirements
Namespace: System.Windows.Forms
Platforms: Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 family
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms (in System.Windows.Forms.dll)
See Also
FolderBrowserDialog Members | System.Windows.Forms Namespace | RootFolder | SelectedPath | ShowDialog