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23 votes for this article.

Popularity: 5.45 Rating: 4.00 out of 5

Download source files - 25.5 Kb

Sample Image - SelectFolder.gif

Introduction

The SelectFolder.zip file contains the SelectFolder.exe whose output is shown in the above picture. The "Options of Select Folder dialog" dialog shown in the above picture, shows the capabilities of the CSelectFolder class.

This Select Folder dialog was originally done by Mihai Filimon. I have added the following features -

Added an edit control where the user can type in the path
If the path typed in the edit control does not exist then the user will be prompted as to whether he/she wants the path to be created
Setting the flag bShowFilesInDir to TRUE will result in all the files in the current folder to be displayed in the dialog
If you don't want to display all the files then you can use the file filter to display the file types you want to display

Some more additional features

Calling API SetTitle with the desired title will set the Title of the dialog. This API has to be invoked before DoModal is called
User can pass the Initial Folder to be displayed in the constructor of CSelectFolder

Constructor

CSelectFolderDialog(BOOL bShowFilesInDir = FALSE, LPCSTR
    lpcstrInitialDir = NULL, DWORD dwFlags = OFN_HIDEREADONLY |
    OFN_OVERWRITEPROMPT,LPCTSTR lpszFilter = NULL, 
    CWnd* pParentWnd = NULL);

Usage Examples

CSelectFolderDialog oSelectFolderDialog(FALSE,
        NULL,OFN_HIDEREADONLY | OFN_OVERWRITEPROMPT,NULL, NULL);

CSelectFolderDialog oSelectFolderDialog(FALSE,
        "c:\\my documents",OFN_HIDEREADONLY |
        OFN_OVERWRITEPROMPT,NULL, NULL);

CSelectFolderDialog oSelectFolderDialog(TRUE,
        "c:\\my documents",OFN_HIDEREADONLY |
        OFN_OVERWRITEPROMPT,NULL, NULL);

CSelectFolderDialog oSelectFolderDialog(TRUE,
        "c:\\my documents",OFN_HIDEREADONLY |
        OFN_OVERWRITEPROMPT,"Microsoft Word Documents
        (*.doc)|*.doc|Microsoft Excel Worksheets
        (*.xls)|*.xls|", NULL);

CSelectFolderDialog oSelectFolderDialog(TRUE,
        "c:\\my documents",OFN_HIDEREADONLY |
        OFN_OVERWRITEPROMPT,"HTML Files (*.html,
        *.htm)|*.html;*.htm||", NULL);

Here's a complete example on how I got the select folder dialog shown in the above picture.

CSelectFolderDialog oSelectFolderDialog(TRUE,
    "C:\WINNT", 
    OFN_HIDEREADONLY | OFN_OVERWRITEPROMPT,
    "Microsoft Word Documents (*.doc)|*.doc|"
    " Microsoft Excel Worksheets (*.xls)|*.xls|", 
    this);

    if (oSelectFolderDialog.DoModal() == IDOK)
        AfxMessageBox(oSelectFolderDialog.GetSelectedPath());

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here

About the Author

Sridhar Rao

Member

Occupation:	Software Developer (Senior)
Company:	Philips Electronics India Limited
Location:	India

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Msgs 1 to 22 of 22 (Total in Forum: 22) (Refresh)

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Really useful!

DTardio

4:11 25 Sep '08

Hi colleague! Your FolderDlg class was EXACTLY what I was looking for! Easy to use, really understandable, great coding technique... what else can I say! It's one of the best documented and useful article I've ever seen. Thanks a lot for your help!
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Exception using in VS2005 [modified]

David_Leikis

7:26 7 Mar '07

We have included this class into an app that has been working for a couple of years now without error. After converting to VS2005, I get an error in the same area that has been mentioned in other posts. That error is an exception on CRect

Within:
OnInitDone()
rectCurrFolderEB;
pFD->GetDlgItem(edt1)->GetWindowRect(rectCurrFolderEB);

GetWindowRect tries to use edt1 to get it's rectangle and I get an assert because it is a value of 0x000000!

It seems that the object is not being created yet, (the dialog doesn't seem to be fully built) but I see no other message handler function that I can use since OnInitDone() is supposed to be after everthing is built and ready...

I have the latest edition that you have on this site and it seems to only be because of the conversion of VS 6.0 to VS2005.

Do you have any fixes?

Modified: I just was able to find the fix that you posted concerning non-function of OnInitDone() in WinXP and I tried it. It seems to work just fine. Thanks for that. Could you please incorporate those changes into your most recent version?

Regards,

David

-- modified at 17:25 Wednesday 7th March, 2007

4.67/5 (5 votes)

Can't use in a library

David_Leikis

6:47 16 Feb '06

I really like this Class! I appreciate the work done by anyone associated with it. I have found that it blows up if it has been created in a library and linked to by the app. I have not found the reason why, just that it fails. I will attempt to find the problem later and post it. Thanks again! David Leikis ATK Thiokol Propulsion
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Bug when creating wrong folder in the Edit box

Veronique722

12:13 11 Aug '05

When typing a wrong folder name in the Current Folder Edit Control, the CALLBACK WindowProcNew function asks if we want to create this folder since it doesn't exist. If we click No, it will remember the wrong file name and the DoModal will return IDOK.

Since my program assumes the folder path is OK when DoModal returns IDOK, I get a wrong folder name. The patch I made is to set the edit control ES_READONLY so the user won't type a wrong folder name, but I wondered if there would be a more elegant way to never get the wrong folder path?

Thanks in advance,

Véronique

Re: Bug when creating wrong folder in the Edit box

Rail Jon Rogut

10:26 22 Nov '05

In the WindowProcNew function, simply add the change as follows:

      //If path does not exist

if(_access(cstrPath, 00) != 0)
     {
     if(AfxMessageBox(cstrPath + "\n" + "\n" +
          "This path does not exist. Do you want to create it?",
          MB_YESNO | MB_ICONQUESTION) == IDYES)
          {
          // MakeSureDirectoryPathExists(cstrPath + "\\");

          CheckPath(&cstrPath, TRUE);

          if(_access(cstrPath, 00) != 0)
               {
               AfxMessageBox((CString)"Could not create folder:" + "\n" + cstrPath);
               return NULL;
               }
          }
     else                           ////// Add this
          {
          return NULL;
          }
}

Rail

-- modified at 15:37 Tuesday 22nd November, 2005

Crashes on Windows XP

Thorell

2:02 25 Apr '03

The method pFD->GetDlgItem(edt1) returns NULL which causes a crash later on. The dialog control with id == edt1 == 1152 does not seem to exist. Any hint?
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Re: Crashes on Windows XP

Rail Jon Rogut

22:06 6 Jul '03

I added some code to the function OnInitDone which should fix it for you... (I've also changed the formatting to make the code more readable)

void CSelectFolderDialog::OnInitDone()
{
	BOOL bXPType = FALSE;
	int	 topVal = 12;

	CWnd* pFD = GetParent();


	/////////////////////////////////


	CWnd *wndTemp;

	wndTemp = pFD->GetDlgItem(edt1);

	if (!wndTemp)
		{
		bXPType = TRUE;

		topVal = 4;
		}


	/////////////////////////////////


	CRect rectCancelPB; 
	
	pFD->GetDlgItem(IDCANCEL)->GetWindowRect(rectCancelPB);

	pFD->ScreenToClient(rectCancelPB);


	///////////////
	

	CRect rectOKPB; 
	
	pFD->GetDlgItem(IDOK)->GetWindowRect(rectOKPB);
	
	pFD->ScreenToClient(rectOKPB);
	
	pFD->GetDlgItem(IDOK)->SetWindowPos(0,rectCancelPB.left - rectOKPB.Width() - 4, rectCancelPB.top, 0,0, SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOSIZE);

	///////////////

	CRect rectList2LC; 
	
	pFD->GetDlgItem(lst1)->GetWindowRect(rectList2LC);
	
	pFD->ScreenToClient(rectList2LC);
	
	pFD->GetDlgItem(lst1)->SetWindowPos(0,0,0,rectList2LC.Width(), abs(rectList2LC.top - (rectCancelPB.top - 45)) + 25, SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOZORDER);
	
	SetControlText(IDOK, _T("Select"));
	
	pFD->SetWindowText(_T(m_cstrTitle));
	
	m_wndProc = (WNDPROC)SetWindowLong(pFD->m_hWnd, GWL_WNDPROC, (LONG)WindowProcNew);

	///////////////////////////////

	CRect rectstc3ST; 
	
	pFD->GetDlgItem(stc3)->GetWindowRect(rectstc3ST);
	pFD->ScreenToClient(rectstc3ST);

	pFD->GetDlgItem(stc3)->SetWindowText("Folder name");
	pFD->GetDlgItem(stc3)->SetWindowPos(0, rectstc3ST.left, rectstc3ST.top + topVal, rectstc3ST.Width() + 20, rectstc3ST.Height(), SWP_NOZORDER);

	///////////////

	if (bXPType)
		{
		wndTemp = pFD->GetDlgItem(cmb13);

		HideControl(cmb13);

		topVal = 26;
		}
	else
		{
		HideControl(edt1);

		topVal = 30;
		}

	CRect rectCurrFolderEB;

	wndTemp->GetWindowRect(rectCurrFolderEB);

	pFD->ScreenToClient(rectCurrFolderEB);

	rectCurrFolderEB.left = rectstc3ST.left;
	rectCurrFolderEB.right -= 70;
	rectCurrFolderEB.top += topVal;
	rectCurrFolderEB.bottom += topVal;

	m_pEdit = new CEdit();

	m_pEdit->Create(WS_TABSTOP | WS_VISIBLE | WS_CHILD, 
					rectCurrFolderEB, pFD, IDEB_FOLDER_DIALOG_SEL_FOLDER);

	m_pEdit->SetWindowText(m_ofn.lpstrInitialDir);
	m_pEdit->SetFont(pFD->GetDlgItem(cmb2)->GetFont());
	
	//Draw the thick sunkun edge

	m_pEdit->ModifyStyleEx(0, WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE, SWP_DRAWFRAME);
	
	//Set the Tab order after the Folders Listbox

	m_pEdit->SetWindowPos(pFD->GetDlgItem(lst1), 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE);

	if(!m_bShowFilesInDir || (m_ofn.lpstrFilter == NULL) || (strlen(m_ofn.lpstrFilter) == 0))
		{
		//File Types Static text and Combo box

		HideControl(stc2);
		HideControl(cmb1);
		}
	
	if(m_bShowFilesInDir && (m_ofn.lpstrFilter != NULL) && (strlen(m_ofn.lpstrFilter) != 0))
		{
		//Increase the height of the dialog

		CRect rectDialog;

		pFD->GetWindowRect(rectDialog);
		rectDialog.bottom += 35;
		pFD->SetWindowPos(0, 0, 0, rectDialog.Width(), rectDialog.Height(), SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOMOVE);

		CRect rectST;

		pFD->GetDlgItem(stc2)->GetWindowRect(rectST);
		pFD->ScreenToClient(rectST);
		rectST.top += 25;
		rectST.bottom += 25;
		pFD->GetDlgItem(stc2)->SetWindowPos(0, rectST.left, rectST.top, 0, 0, SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOSIZE);

		CRect rectComboDL;

		pFD->GetDlgItem(cmb1)->GetWindowRect(rectComboDL);
		pFD->ScreenToClient(rectComboDL);
		rectComboDL.left = rectST.left;
		rectComboDL.top = rectST.top + rectST.Height();
		rectComboDL.bottom = rectST.bottom + rectST.Height();
		pFD->GetDlgItem(cmb1)->SetWindowPos(0, rectComboDL.left, rectComboDL.top, 0, 0, SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOSIZE);

		pFD->GetDlgItem(IDCANCEL)->GetWindowRect(rectCancelPB);
		pFD->ScreenToClient(rectCancelPB);
		rectCancelPB.top = rectST.bottom - 2;
		rectCancelPB.bottom = rectCancelPB.top + rectCancelPB.Height();
		pFD->GetDlgItem(IDCANCEL)->SetWindowPos(0, rectCancelPB.left, rectCancelPB.top, 0, 0, SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOSIZE);

		pFD->GetDlgItem(IDOK)->GetWindowRect(rectOKPB);
		pFD->ScreenToClient(rectOKPB);
		pFD->GetDlgItem(IDOK)->SetWindowPos(0,rectCancelPB.left - rectOKPB.Width() - 4, rectCancelPB.top, 0,0, SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOSIZE);

		rectCurrFolderEB.right = rectCancelPB.right;
		m_pEdit->SetWindowPos(pFD->GetDlgItem(lst1), 0, 0, rectCurrFolderEB.Width(), rectCurrFolderEB.Height(), SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOZORDER);
		}

	pFD->CenterWindow();
}

Rail

Standard dialog to browse folders

Comet

23:31 21 Jan '03

It's the function SHBrowseForFolder() , MSDN
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Re: Standard dialog to browse folders

Benny 673

4:57 18 Mar '04

This is far superior to SHBrowseForFolder(). Excellent code, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
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Disable Create-Folder.

Thomas Moch

4:03 14 Nov '02

Hallo, is it possible to disable the "Create-Folder" functionality? Regards, Thomas Moch
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Don't work on VC7!

Kondriks

10:07 6 Jul '02


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multiple directory select?

Juergen Klingler

3:44 15 May '02

Is there a multiple directory selection possible?
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Fit a dialog in a View of a Window

Anonymous

9:47 17 Apr '02

I have a fixed size dialog.

I have list of tree items on the left view and when I click one of the nodes I want to display the dialog in the right view

with the condition that if the size of the dialog is bigger than the view then I'll have to provide the scroll bars to navigate.

I don't want to change the size of the dialogs at all.

My dialogs are all modal dialogs. I'm using splitter window to create two separate view.

Left side is the tree view and right side is the form view.

I want all my controls in the dialog in tact.

My view on the right side is a form view.

Can you provide some help regarding this.

Thanks

working without mouse -- impossible?

Anonymous

19:17 14 Feb '02

Folks, how do I use this dialog without mouse? When I press Enter, the current directory gets returned. No keypress can make it change directory.
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network name compatibility

Anonymous

23:32 5 Jul '01

You need to start double '\' finding at index 2 in order to allow networks names like \\mycomp\c\... Change modify line #128 in SelectFolderDialog.cpp, starting i at 2 : for (int i = 2; i < cstrPath.GetLength() - 1; i++) However, thanks a lot for your code. manu vanneau
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink	4.00/5 (1 vote)

another little error ...

thom_as

5:15 3 Jul '02

Thank you guys (guess you know your names, I've forgotten them right now) for the code, and thank you, manu vanneau, for the hint, how to make the code accept network names.
There is another problem which occurs selecting network folders. Objects like the "network environment" or computers, which are displayed in the dialog like folders may be selected, but do not possess a folder name. If you doubleclick for example the "network environment" and afterwards click the select button, this causes an unhandled exception.

You can solve the problem by replacing the code within the Method OnFolderChange() by the lines

if(::IsWindow(GetParent()->m_hWnd))
{
CString FolderPath = GetFolderPath();
int length = FolderPath.GetLength();
if(length >0)
m_pEdit->SetWindowText(FolderPath);
}

If you doubleclick an invalid symbol (such as the "network environment") the funcion GetFolderPath() returns an empty string. With my few lines, I prevent the Edit Control's text to be replaced by this empty string and thus causing an exception. With the modifies code, you select the last valid folder, whose path still ist in the edit control.

Thomas

Re: another little error ...

Ales Krajnc

4:00 29 Aug '02

Slight modification to this solution is given below. The modification diables the selection button if the folder is invalid.

void CSelectFolderDialog::OnFolderChange()
{
   if(::IsWindow(GetParent()->m_hWnd)) {
         CWnd* pFD = GetParent();
         CString FolderPath = GetFolderPath();

         if(FolderPath.IsEmpty()) {
            pFD->GetDlgItem(IDOK)->EnableWindow(FALSE);
            m_pEdit->SetWindowText(_T("Invalid Folder"));
         }
         else {
            pFD->GetDlgItem(IDOK)->EnableWindow(TRUE);
            m_pEdit->SetWindowText(FolderPath);
         }
   }
}

Small Error

Anonymous

11:47 10 May '01

You should add the ES_AUTOHSCROLL style to the CEdit control's styles. Otherwise a long directory name will not scroll properly: SelectFolderDialog.cpp, Line 205: m_pEdit->Create(WS_TABSTOP \| WS_VISIBLE \| WS_CHILD \| ES_AUTOHSCROLL, rectCurrFolderEB, pFD, IDEB_FOLDER_DIALOG_SEL_FOLDER); Brett Kapilik
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Is this OK on Win95/98/ME ?

Jerry Evans

9:28 4 Oct '00

Unfortunately I cannot test my app on these Windows versions at the moment. Does anyone know if this code is safe ? Thanks Jerry. P.S. This is very useful code.
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Re: Is this OK on Win95/98/ME ?

Sridhar

21:14 4 Oct '00

I had developed this code on WinNT (service pack 4.0), so i'm also not too sure whether they do work on other windows operating systems
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Re: Is this OK on Win95/98/ME ?

Jeremy Davis

0:05 5 Oct '00

Almost..... The buttons to the right of the combo box at the top, are different. In Win98 one of these buttons is a desktop button. It looks a bit wierd having a desktop button there and another on the bar on the left. I could upload a a bitmap if you like..
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Re: Is this OK on Win95/98/ME ?

Sridhar

21:59 9 Oct '00

I guess i can change the bmp. But actually i'm just using the default bmps which come up with the FileDialog. I'm really not sure what this desktop button is... what functionality does this button have
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