Open file location

Question

When searching a file in Windows Explorer and right-click a file from the search results; there is an option: "Open file location". I want to implement the same in my C# WinForm. I did this:

if (File.Exists(filePath)
{
    openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = new FileInfo(filePath).DirectoryName;
    openFileDialog1.ShowDialog();
}

Is there any better way to do it?

What is the problem you face with your solution? if `openFileDialog_View` is an OpenFileDialog then you'll just get a dialog prompting a user to **open** a file. — gideon, Mar 10 '12 at 11:40

score 56 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:16

56

If openFileDialog_View is an OpenFileDialog then you'll just get a dialog prompting a user to open a file. I assume you want to actually open the location in explorer.

You would do this:

if (File.Exists(filePath))
{
    Process.Start("explorer.exe", filePath);
}

To select a file explorer.exe takes a /select argument like this:

explorer.exe /select, <filelist>

I got this from an SO post: Opening a folder in explorer and selecting a file

So your code would be:

if (File.Exists(filePath))
{
    Process.Start("explorer.exe", "/select, " + filePath);
}

edited May 23 '17 at 12:16

Community

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answered Mar 10 '12 at 11:42

gideon

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this should be "explorer.exe" – scartag Mar 10 '12 at 11:46
nice Mr. gideon. but I want that file to be selected, How? – Haroon A. Mar 10 '12 at 12:14
1

@H_wardak Updated my answer. A simple [google search](http://www.google.co.in/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ix=sea&ie=UTF-8&ion=1#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=open%20explorer%20and%20select%20file&oq=&aq=&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&gs_l=&pbx=1&fp=237055d012d02b32&ix=sea&ion=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1366&bih=643) landed me to that SO post. – gideon Mar 10 '12 at 12:38

Chibueze Opata · Answer 2 · 2012-03-10T12:03:08.057

7

This is how I do it in my code. This will open the file directory in explorer and select the specified file just the way windows explorer does it.

if (File.Exists(path))
{
    Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo("explorer.exe", " /select, " + path);
}

edited Mar 10 '12 at 12:03

answered Mar 10 '12 at 11:45

Chibueze Opata

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is there any benefit if I using "ProcessStartInfo"? It's work without it also. – Haroon A. Mar 11 '12 at 06:20
Yes this opens the folder but not any apps associated with the extension. For instance if its a file.kml it might try to open google earth but sometimes you just want the file folder to open – dcarl661 Oct 29 '21 at 21:05

Open file location

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