Implementing a common File system browser with a ListView

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Introduction

Very often, we need to have a control for browsing the user file-system in order to select files or folders in our applications. But Microsoft did not include a control like that with Visual Studio .NET, so I gave it a try and developed a ListView component very similar to the one used in Windows Explorer.

Exceptions

• Please note that Shell operations are not implemented and are not planned.
• The "My Documents" icon is not the good one.

Key Features

• Use the System ImageList for retrieving the icons (pretty fast)
• Allows to get back to the parent folder (..), so you don't need a companion control or other button for doing that. (AllowParentFolderSelection property)

Usage

Just drag the component onto your form and call the control's Initialize() method in the form Load event.

Conclusions

So this is it. Maybe it will give you a good start for a more complete version.

Credits

• Thanks to Furty for his works with his TreeView control. It gave me ideas for mine and I used the Shell32 stuff he discovered in coding his control.
• SystemListView code developed and borrowed from Steve McMahon. Click here for his article.