Open a file's properties window using Java

Question

This is a question only regarding Java in Windows.

I need a method that will call this window:

So essentially the method should be something like:

public void openProperties(File file){ // or String fileName

}

So the statement: opernProperties(new File(test.txt)); should open the above window.

So just to clarify, I do not want to read and manage the properties. I just want to open the properties window.

This question was already asked without an answer [http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11132939/how-to-show-properties-window-of-native-file-systems-file-folder-in-java](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11132939/how-to-show-properties-window-of-native-file-systems-file-folder-in-java) — Tzach Solomon, Sep 14 '16 at 10:49
I think your best option is to use [java native access](https://github.com/java-native-access) and than try to use the following code [http://stackoverflow.com/a/33472984/1866870](http://stackoverflow.com/a/33472984/1866870) — Tzach Solomon, Sep 14 '16 at 11:03

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 14 '16 at 12:49

I was able to display the file properties window using the following:

Go to https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots/net/java/dev/jna/
Download the snapshot JARs jna-4.3.0-20160510.203907-1.jar and jna-platform-4.3.0-20160510.204004-1.jar (We can't use the latest version that is located at maven repo since it's 4.2.2 and it does not have the SHELLEXECUTEINFO)
Load the jars and paste the following code below

This should display the properties window with a delay of 3 seconds. Notice that alk talked about passing the window through hwnd member if you don't want it to auto close after the 3 seconds

public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {
        ShellAPI.SHELLEXECUTEINFO shellExecuteInfo = new ShellAPI.SHELLEXECUTEINFO();
        shellExecuteInfo.lpFile = "C:\\setup.log";
        shellExecuteInfo.nShow = User32.SW_SHOW;
        shellExecuteInfo.fMask = 0x0000000C;
        shellExecuteInfo.lpVerb = "properties";
        if (Shell32.INSTANCE.ShellExecuteEx(shellExecuteInfo)){
            Thread.sleep(3000);
        }
    }

It's just for the example, so you'd be able to to see the window. — Tzach Solomon, Sep 15 '16 at 03:10

DuncG · Answer 2 · 2022-04-17T13:10:48.733

0

The Windows API call SHObjectProperties will also launch Windows file property dialog. You could call from JNA, JNI or try JDK Panama / Foreign Memory API available as incubator in JDK16 or above.

edited Apr 17 '22 at 13:10

answered Mar 28 '21 at 16:07

DuncG

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Open a file's properties window using Java

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