How do a make this type of select folder dialog in C#?

Question

So I recently tried to the FolderBrowserDialog but much to my disappointment it was not like the following screenshot:

But instead it was formatted and as I think, hard to navigate with like this:

How would I go about getting the other version where it's a dialog box asking for what folder to save to like the select file type natively, instead of what I think is this hard to navigate menu.

AFAIK `FolderBrowserDialog` used to be like second screen shot only. If you want something different you have to roll your own. — Sriram Sakthivel, Apr 28 '15 at 11:04
To be honest, I have no clue what I'm using. I'm very new to this and this is probably the 3rd or 4th time I've programmed in C#.... infact this is the first time I've had to work with invoke. — Codingale, Apr 28 '15 at 11:08
@PanagiotisKanavos I don't quite know how to change it to that, any suggestions? — Codingale, Apr 28 '15 at 11:09
Please show some code, since you shouldn't be working with invoke to get the OpenXXDialog inside C# — Bernd Linde, Apr 28 '15 at 11:15
Oh no, I meant I had to use invoke for the first to call a function I defined on another thread for logging output to a text box. — Codingale, Apr 28 '15 at 11:18
@BerndLinde the OP isn't working with Invoke, the desired folder is actually the Vista-style File Dialog which isn't available in .NET. In fact, using native calls *is* one of the solutions to this. — Panagiotis Kanavos, Apr 28 '15 at 11:18
There are many similar questions, eg [this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9227917/how-to-use-open-file-dialog-to-select-a-folder). The easiest option, using the Windows API Code pack is tricky because MS pulled the code a while ago. Many people uploaded the code to GitHub though and you can find unofficial NuGet packages, eg [this one](https://www.nuget.org/packages/WindowsAPICodePack-Shell/) — Panagiotis Kanavos, Apr 28 '15 at 11:21
@PanagiotisKanavos Yes, I just installed it after browsing related questions how ever I'm clueless how to use it... **Edit** I think I found out thanks to your link. **Edit2:** Odd if I add it to my use list it's not a valid class still. — Codingale, Apr 28 '15 at 11:24
I'm still looking for a native way instead of this, it works but it's still not quite desired.. anything else? I could accept the WindowsAPICodePack I suppose. — Codingale, Apr 28 '15 at 12:03

score 9 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 01 '16 at 00:47

9

The CommonOpenFileDialog class from the NuGet Package "Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack-Shell" will answer your request.

Set IsFolderPicker property to true and that's it.

using Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Dialogs;     

private bool SelectFolder(out string fileName)
{
    CommonOpenFileDialog dialog = new CommonOpenFileDialog();
    dialog.IsFolderPicker = true;
    if (dialog.ShowDialog() == CommonFileDialogResult.Ok)
    {
        fileName = dialog.FileName;
        return true;
    }
    else
    {
        fileName = "";
        return false;
    }
}

edited Jul 01 '16 at 00:47

Foole

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answered Mar 10 '16 at 14:29

Tal Halamish

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`like the select file type natively` from the original question but thanks for an answer anyways that's surely to help others. This requires a NuGet package and including a things to the project rather than a native method. – Codingale Mar 10 '16 at 17:08

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 28 '15 at 11:57

1

thats because you are using FolderBrowserDialog instead of OpenFileDialog

you can check the below

 private void btnBrowse_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            OpenFileDialog fileDialog = new OpenFileDialog();
            fileDialog.Title = "Browse File";
            fileDialog.Filter = "All files (*.*)|*.*|All files (*.*)|*.*";
            fileDialog.FilterIndex = 2;
            fileDialog.InitialDirectory = "c:\\";
            fileDialog.RestoreDirectory = true;

            if (fileDialog.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
            {
                txtFileName.Text = fileDialog.FileName;
            }
        }

answered Apr 28 '15 at 11:57

nayef harb

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This seems to select a file, and by the rest of the copy pasted code it seems to be reused from a `.txt` file but changed for All files `*.*` – Codingale Apr 28 '15 at 12:04
you can substring the folder name from it. the interface you need isn't provided for folder selection Check this link http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9227917/how-to-use-open-file-dialog-to-select-a-folder. – nayef harb Apr 28 '15 at 12:07
`txtFileName` shows this is probably from code to select a `txt` filetype. I'm still doing research and I may find another way natively in windows to resolve this as I don't want an external package to add in. – Codingale Apr 28 '15 at 12:30
actually txtFileName is a Text box Controll I just prefix them with txt :). anw if you find a way to accomplish what you need please post it here as an answer. – nayef harb Apr 28 '15 at 12:48

How do a make this type of select folder dialog in C#?

2 Answers2