File/folder chooser dialog from a Windows batch script

Question

In situations where input file location is not known until runtime, using a GUI for file selection input reduces the likelihood of user error.

Is there a way to invoke a file/folder chooser dialog from a Windows batch script?

Answer 1

File Browser

Update 2016.3.20:

Since PowerShell is a native component of all modern Windows installations nowadays, I'm declaring the C# fallback as no longer necessary. If you still need it for Vista or XP compatibility, I moved it to a new answer. Starting with this edit, I'm rewriting the script as a Batch + PowerShell hybrid and incorporating the ability to perform multi-select. It's profoundly easier to read and to tweak as needed.

<# : chooser.bat
:: launches a File... Open sort of file chooser and outputs choice(s) to the console

@echo off
setlocal

for /f "delims=" %%I in ('powershell -noprofile "iex (${%~f0} | out-string)"') do (
    echo You chose %%~I
)
goto :EOF

: end Batch portion / begin PowerShell hybrid chimera #>

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
$f = new-object Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog
$f.InitialDirectory = pwd
$f.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*"
$f.ShowHelp = $true
$f.Multiselect = $true
[void]$f.ShowDialog()
if ($f.Multiselect) { $f.FileNames } else { $f.FileName }

This results in a file chooser dialog.

The result of a selection outputs You chose C:\Users\me\Desktop\tmp.txt to the console. If you want to force single file selection, just change the $f.Multiselect property to $false.

PowerShell taken command from the Just Tinkering Blog. See the OpenFileDialog Class documentation for other properties you can set, such as Title and InitialDirectory.

Folder Browser

Update 2015.08.10:

Since there is already a COM method for invoking a folder chooser, it's pretty easy to build a PowerShell one-liner that can open the folder chooser and output the path.

:: fchooser.bat
:: launches a folder chooser and outputs choice to the console
:: https://stackoverflow.com/a/15885133/1683264

@echo off
setlocal

set "psCommand="(new-object -COM 'Shell.Application')^
.BrowseForFolder(0,'Please choose a folder.',0,0).self.path""

for /f "usebackq delims=" %%I in (`powershell %psCommand%`) do set "folder=%%I"

setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
echo You chose !folder!
endlocal

In the BrowseForFolder() method, the fourth argument specifies the root of the hierarchy. See ShellSpecialFolderConstants for a list of valid values.

This results in a folder chooser dialog.

The result of a selection outputs You chose C:\Users\me\Desktop to the console.

See the FolderBrowserDialog class documentation for other properties you can set, such as RootFolder. My original .NET System.Windows.Forms PowerShell and C# solutions can be found in revision 4 of this answer if needed, but this COM method is much easier to read and maintain.

Answer 2

This should work from XP upwards and does'nt require an hibrid file, it just runs mshta with a long command line:

@echo off
set dialog="about:<input type=file id=FILE><script>FILE.click();new ActiveXObject
set dialog=%dialog%('Scripting.FileSystemObject').GetStandardStream(1).WriteLine(FILE.value);
set dialog=%dialog%close();resizeTo(0,0);</script>"

for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%p in ('mshta.exe %dialog%') do set "file=%%p"
echo selected  file is : "%file%"
pause

Answer 3

Windows Script Host

---

File Selection

Windows XP had a mysterious UserAccounts.CommonDialog WSH object which allowed VBScript and JScript to launch the file selection prompt. Apparently, that was deemed a security risk and removed in Vista.

---

Folder Selection

However, the WSH Shell.Application object BrowseForFolder method will still allow the creation of a folder selection dialog. Here's a hybrid batch + JScript example. Save it with a .bat extension.

@if (@a==@b) @end /*

:: fchooser2.bat
:: batch portion

@echo off
setlocal

for /f "delims=" %%I in ('cscript /nologo /e:jscript "%~f0"') do (
    echo You chose %%I
)

goto :EOF

:: JScript portion */

var shl = new ActiveXObject("Shell.Application");
var folder = shl.BrowseForFolder(0, "Please choose a folder.", 0, 0x00);
WSH.Echo(folder ? folder.self.path : '');

In the BrowseForFolder() method, the fourth argument specifies the root of the hierarchy. See ShellSpecialFolderConstants for a list of valid values.

Answer 4

A file / folder selection may be done with pure Batch, as shown below. Of course, the feel and look is not as pleasant as a GUI, but it works very well and in my opinion it is easier to use than the GUI version. The selection method is based on CHOICE command, so it would require to download it in the Windows versions that don't include it and slightly modify its parameters. Of course, the code may be easily modified in order to use SET /P instead of CHOICE, but this change would eliminate the very simple and fast selection method that only requires one keypress to navigate and select.

@echo off
setlocal

rem Select a file or folder browsing a directory tree
rem Antonio Perez Ayala

rem Usage examples of SelectFileOrFolder subroutine:

call :SelectFileOrFolder file=
echo/
echo Selected file from *.* = "%file%"
pause

call :SelectFileOrFolder file=*.bat
echo/
echo Selected Batch file = "%file%"
pause

call :SelectFileOrFolder folder=/F
echo/
echo Selected folder = "%folder%"
pause

goto :EOF


:SelectFileOrFolder resultVar [ "list of wildcards" | /F ]

setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

rem Process parameters
set "files=*.*"
if "%~2" neq "" (
   if /I "%~2" equ "/F" (set "files=") else set "files=%~2"
)

rem Set the number of lines per page, max 34
set "pageSize=30"
set "char=0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"

rem Load current directory contents
set "name[1]=<DIR>  .."
:ProcessThisDir
set "numNames=1"
for /D %%a in (*) do (
   set /A numNames+=1
   set "name[!numNames!]=<DIR>  %%a"
)
for %%a in (%files%) do (
   set /A numNames+=1
   set "name[!numNames!]=       %%a"
)
set /A numPages=(numNames-1)/pageSize+1

rem Show directory contents, one page at a time
set start=1
:ShowPage
set /A page=(start-1)/pageSize+1, end=start+pageSize-1
if %end% gtr %numNames% set end=%numNames%
cls
echo Page %page%/%numPages% of %CD%
echo/
if %start% equ 1 (set base=0) else set "base=1"
set /A lastOpt=pageSize+base, j=base
for /L %%i in (%start%,1,%end%) do (
   for %%j in (!j!) do echo     !char:~%%j,1! -  !name[%%i]!
   set /A j+=1
)
echo/

rem Assemble the get option message
if %start% equ 1 (set "mssg=: ") else (set "mssg= (0=Previous page")
if %end% lss %numNames% (
   if "%mssg%" equ ": " (set "mssg= (") else set "mssg=%mssg%, "
   set "mssg=!mssg!Z=Next page"
)
if "%mssg%" neq ": " set "mssg=%mssg%): "

:GetOption
choice /C "%char%" /N /M "Select desired item%mssg%"
if %errorlevel% equ 1 (
   rem "0": Previous page or Parent directory
   if %start% gtr 1 (
      set /A start-=pageSize
      goto ShowPage
   ) else (
      cd ..
      goto ProcessThisDir
   )
)
if %errorlevel% equ 36 (
   rem "Z": Next page, if any
   if %end% lss %numNames% (
      set /A start+=pageSize
      goto ShowPage
   ) else (
      goto GetOption
   )
)
if %errorlevel% gtr %lastOpt% goto GetOption
set /A option=start+%errorlevel%-1-base
if %option% gtr %numNames% goto GetOption
if defined files (
   if "!name[%option%]:~0,5!" neq "<DIR>" goto endSelect
) else (
   choice /C OS /M "Open or Select '!name[%option%]:~7!' folder"
   if errorlevel 2 goto endSelect
)
cd "!name[%option%]:~7!"
goto ProcessThisDir

:endSelect
rem Return selected file/folder
for %%a in ("!name[%option%]:~7!") do set "result=%%~Fa"
endlocal & set "%~1=%result%
exit /B

Answer 5

Other solution with direct run PowerShell command in Batch

rem preparation command
set pwshcmd=powershell -noprofile -command "&{[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName('System.windows.forms') | Out-Null;$OpenFileDialog = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog; $OpenFileDialog.ShowDialog()|out-null; $OpenFileDialog.FileName}"

rem exec commands powershell and get result in FileName variable
for /f "delims=" %%I in ('%pwshcmd%') do set "FileName=%%I"

echo %FileName%

Answer 6

Batch + PowerShell + C# polyglot solution

This is the same solution as the Batch + PowerShell hybrid, but with the C# fallback stuff re-added for XP and Vista compatibility. Multiple file selection has been added at xNightmare67x's request.

<# : chooser_XP_Vista.bat
:: // launches a File... Open sort of file chooser and outputs choice(s) to the console
:: // https://stackoverflow.com/a/36156326/1683264

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion

rem // Does powershell.exe exist within %PATH%?

for %%I in ("powershell.exe") do if "%%~$PATH:I" neq "" (
    set chooser=powershell -noprofile "iex (${%~f0} | out-string)"
) else (

    rem // If not, compose and link C# application to open file browser dialog

    set "chooser=%temp%\chooser.exe"

    >"%temp%\c.cs" (
        echo using System;
        echo using System.Windows.Forms;
        echo class dummy {
        echo    public static void Main^(^) {
        echo        OpenFileDialog f = new OpenFileDialog^(^);
        echo        f.InitialDirectory = Environment.CurrentDirectory;
        echo        f.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*";
        echo        f.ShowHelp = true;
        echo        f.Multiselect = true;
        echo        f.ShowDialog^(^);
        echo        foreach ^(String filename in f.FileNames^) {
        echo            Console.WriteLine^(filename^);
        echo        }
        echo    }
        echo }
    )
    for /f "delims=" %%I in ('dir /b /s "%windir%\microsoft.net\*csc.exe"') do (
        if not exist "!chooser!" "%%I" /nologo /out:"!chooser!" "%temp%\c.cs" 2>NUL
    )
    del "%temp%\c.cs"
    if not exist "!chooser!" (
        echo Error: Please install .NET 2.0 or newer, or install PowerShell.
        goto :EOF
    )
)

rem // Do something with the chosen file(s)
for /f "delims=" %%I in ('%chooser%') do (
    echo You chose %%~I
)

rem // comment this out to keep chooser.exe in %temp% for faster subsequent runs
del "%temp%\chooser.exe" >NUL 2>NUL

goto :EOF
:: // end Batch portion / begin PowerShell hybrid chimera #>

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
$f = new-object Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog
$f.InitialDirectory = pwd
$f.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*"
$f.ShowHelp = $true
$f.Multiselect = $true
[void]$f.ShowDialog()
if ($f.Multiselect) { $f.FileNames } else { $f.FileName }

---

For a folder chooser for XP or Vista, use either the WSH solution or npocmaka's HTA solution.

Answer 7

Two more ways.

1.Using a hybrid .bat/hta (must be saved as a bat) script .It can use vbscript or javascript but the example is with javascrtipt.Does not create temp files.Selecting folder is not so easy and will require an external javascript libraries , but selecting file is easy

<!-- : starting html comment

:: FileSelector.bat
@echo off
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%p in ('mshta.exe "%~f0"') do (
    set "file=%%~fp"
)
echo/
if not "%file%" == "" (
    echo selected  file is : %file%
)
echo/
exit /b
-->
<Title>== FILE SELECTOR==</Title>
<body>
    <script language='javascript'>
    function pipeFile() {

         var file=document.getElementById('file').value;
         var fso= new ActiveXObject('Scripting.FileSystemObject').GetStandardStream(1);
         close(fso.Write(file));

    }
    </script>
<input type='file' name='file' size='30'>
</input><hr><button onclick='pipeFile()'>Submit</button>
</body>

1.1 - without submit form proposed by rojo (see comments):

<!-- : starting html comment

:: FileSelector.bat
@echo off
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%p in ('mshta.exe "%~f0"') do (
    set "file=%%~fp"
)
echo/
if not "%file%" == "" (
    echo selected  file is : "%file%"
)
echo/
exit /b
-->
<Title>== FILE SELECTOR==</Title>
<body>
    <script language='javascript'>
    function pipeFile() {

         var file=document.getElementById('file').value;
         var fso= new ActiveXObject('Scripting.FileSystemObject').GetStandardStream(1);
         close(fso.Write(file));

    }
    </script>
<input id='file' type='file' name='file' size='30' onchange='pipeFile()' >
</input>
<hr>
<button onclick='pipeFile()'>Submit</button>
<script>document.getElementById('file').click();</script>
</body>

2.As you already using powershell/net you can create selfcompiled jscript.net hybrid.It will not require temp cs file for compilation and will directly use the built-in jscrript.net compiler.There's no need of powershell too and the code is far more readable:

@if (@X)==(@Y) @end /* JScript comment
@echo off

:: FolderSelectorJS.bat
setlocal

for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%v in ('dir /b /s /a:-d  /o:-n "%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\*jsc.exe"') do (
   set "jsc=%%v"
)

if not exist "%~n0.exe" (
    "%jsc%" /nologo /out:"%~n0.exe" "%~dpsfnx0"
)

for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%p in ('"%~n0.exe"') do (
    set "folder=%%p"
)
if not "%folder%" == "" ( 
    echo selected folder  is %folder%
)

endlocal & exit /b %errorlevel%

*/

import System;
import System.Windows.Forms;

var  f=new FolderBrowserDialog();
f.SelectedPath=System.Environment.CurrentDirectory;
f.Description="Please choose a folder.";
f.ShowNewFolderButton=true;
if( f.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK ){
    Console.Write(f.SelectedPath);
}

Answer 8

I will leave an 'echo' even to verify that multiple choice works in this code

echo off
set cmd=Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms;$f=new-object                 Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog;$f.InitialDirectory=        [environment]::GetFolderPath('Desktop');$f.Filter='Text Files(*.txt)^|*.txt^|All         Files(*.*)^|*.*';$f.Multiselect=$true;[void]$f.ShowDialog();if($f.Multiselect)        {$f.FileNames}else{$f.FileName}
set pwshcmd=powershell -noprofile -command "&{%cmd%}"
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%I in ('%pwshcmd%') do call :sum "%%I" ret
echo =========
echo --%ret%--
pause
exit /B
:sum [mud] [ret]
echo "%~1"
set FileName=%FileName% "%~1"
set ret=%FileName%
exit /B

Answer 9

I has been wrote my own portable solution: https://github.com/andry81/contools/tree/HEAD/Utilities/src/_gui/wxFileDialog/

You can download executable from here: https://github.com/andry81/contools/tree/HEAD/Utilities/bin/contools/wxFileDialog.exe

The utility has dependency on wxWidgets 3.1.x, so you can actually build it for other operating systems.

Answer 10

rojo, thanks for the code. It works.

A small note: For the "Browse for Folder" code, a user may click the X and NOT select a folder at all. For this case, I would add:

if not defined folder (goto :noFolderSelected)

Also, for the BrowseForFolder() method, I recommend the 4th argument to be 0x11. This will display all drives.