Showing a Windows Explorer Dialog from a C++ application

Question

I have a windows application written in C++. The application generates certain configuration files in a hidden directory. I want to give user an option to open that directory from my application. Clicking that option should open a windows explorer like dialog with an input directory location. I spend time searching for a similar api, but end up with certain dialogs like "DlgDirListComboBoxW" or "GetOpenFileName" or "GetSaveFileName". I am looking for an api to open normal Windows explorer like Dialog with an input directory location. It would be really helpful if the api belongs to CommonDialogs section.

You could use a system call as `system("explorer c:\\users");` — Aabesh Karmacharya, Jan 21 '15 at 07:06
Yeah... *please* don't use `system("explorer c:\\users");`. In fact, *please* don't use `system` at all. — Nik Bougalis, Jan 21 '15 at 09:05

Nik Bougalis · Answer 1 · 2015-01-21T09:03:43.643

1

How about:

HWND hWndOwner = NULL;

ShellExecute(
    hWndOwner,
    _T("explore"),
    _T("c:\\some\\path"),
    NULL,
    NULL,
    SW_SHOWNORMAL);

You can set hWndOwner to your main window handle if you're so inclined and can choose from a variety of other options.

For more information and usage details, check out the MSDN page on ShellExecute.

edited Jan 21 '15 at 09:03

answered Jan 21 '15 at 06:59

Nik Bougalis

10,495
1
21
37

Fixed the `explore` typo for you. I don't think it would be right to also fix the `_T` stuff, since it's your code. But it's a pretty bad thing to do to teach that to anybody, and especially to newbies. – Cheers and hth. - Alf Jan 21 '15 at 07:20
@Cheersandhth.-Alf It was not a typo. The correct keyword is `explore` (per the MSDN page). As for the `_T` bits: I don't know if his program is MBCS or UNICODE and since `ShellExecute` comes in A and W varieties, I have to use the "portable" way. If you know of a better way of passing a literal that may be either MBCS or UNICODE depending on project configuration, by all means, let me know. – Nik Bougalis Jan 21 '15 at 09:03
1

A better way than using `_T` (paying a heavy price to support WIndows 9x), is to not use `_T`. You can always assumed UNICODE except for legacy code from the early 1990s. `_T` is in support of Windows 9x, and it was obsolete already in the year 2000 with the introduction of Layer for Unicode, i.e. a now 15 years obsolete dirty macro-based technology in support of a 20 year old anachronism. – Cheers and hth. - Alf Jan 21 '15 at 10:26
Sorry about mistaking the verb for an executable name. – Cheers and hth. - Alf Jan 21 '15 at 10:27

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 21 '15 at 07:30

You can use the SHBrowseForFolder

It shows a dialog similar to this:

enter image description here

This is a example for how to use it:

BOOL GetFolder(LPCSTR folderpath, 
               LPCSTR szCaption, 
               HWND hOwner /*= NULL*/)
{
    BOOL retVal = FALSE;

    // The BROWSEINFO struct tells the shell 
    // how it should display the dialog.
    BROWSEINFO bi;
    memset(&bi, 0, sizeof(bi));

    bi.ulFlags   = BIF_USENEWUI;
    bi.hwndOwner = hOwner;
    bi.lpszTitle = szCaption;   

    // must call this if using BIF_USENEWUI
    ::OleInitialize(NULL);

    // Show the dialog and get the itemIDList for the 
    // selected folder.
    LPITEMIDLIST pIDL = ::SHBrowseForFolder(&bi);

    if(pIDL != NULL)
    {
        // Create a buffer to store the path, then 
        // get the path.
        char buffer[_MAX_PATH] = {'\0'};
        if(::SHGetPathFromIDList(pIDL, buffer) != 0)
        {
            // Set the string value.
            folderpath = buffer;
            retVal = TRUE;
        }

        // free the item id list
        CoTaskMemFree(pIDL);
    }

    ::OleUninitialize();

    return retVal;
}

Showing a Windows Explorer Dialog from a C++ application

2 Answers2