fSelect (Function)

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Functions for managing external files

Default extension (when creating a file with the fSelCreate constant)

Default extension when opening a file

Clicking a file found in the file picker

Selecting directories

"My Documents" directory

Operating mode in GO mode and at runtime

Network drives, manifest and UAC

Examples of file pickers

See also

fSelect (Function)

In french: fSélecteur

Opens the file picker of the current system.

Versions 16 and later

This function is now available for WINDEV applications in Linux.

New in version 16

This function is now available for WINDEV applications in Linux.

Example

See additional examples

// Select a file
SelectedFile is string
SelectedFile = fSelect("C:\Directories", "File.txt", ...
"Select a file", ...
"Text file (*.TXT)" + TAB + "*.txt" + CR + "All" + TAB + "*.*", "txt")

// Select a file in "\MyDocuments\Directories"
SelectedFile is string
SelectedFile = fSelect("\Directories", "File.txt", ...
"Select a file", ...
"Text file (*.TXT)" + TAB + "*.txt" + CR + "All" + TAB + "*.*", "txt")

Syntax

Opening a file picker by specifying the initial directory and the file selected by default Hide the details

<Result> = fSelect(<Initial directory> , <File selected by default> , <Picker title> , <Types of files> , <Default extension> [, <Selection mode>])

<Result>: Character string

Full name of selected files. If several files are selected, the names of the files are separated by CR characters (Carriage Return).
Full name of file to create.
Empty string ("") if no file was selected or created.

<Initial directory>: Character string (with quotes)

Full or relative path of initial directory (up to 260 characters). This directory name may (or may not) end with "\". The files found in this directory will be displayed in the file picker. If this parameter is an empty string (""), the initial directory will be the current directory.
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
Full path of initial directory (up to 260 characters). This directory must correspond to:
one of the immediate subdirectories of "\My Documents". This directory must not start with "\".
a directory found at the root of a storage card.
This directory name may (or may not) end with "\". The files found in this directory will be displayed in the file picker. If this parameter is an empty string (""), the initial directory will correspond to the "\My Documents" directory.

<File selected by default>: Character string (with quotes)

Name and extension of the file selected by default. If this parameter is an empty string (""), no file will be selected by default.
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.

<Picker title>: Character string (with quotes)

Caption displayed in the title bar of file picker. If this parameter is an empty string (""), the title of the current WINDEV window will be displayed.
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.

<Types of files>: Character string (with quotes)

Description of types of files that can be selected. This description has the following format:

<Types Files> + TAB + <List Extensions> [ + CR + ...
<Types Files 2> + TAB + <List Extensions 2>]

Where:
<Types Files>: character string describing the type of file ("BMP (*.BMP;*.RLE)" for example).
<List Extensions>: extensions corresponding to the described type ("*.BMP;*.RLE" for example).
For example:
"BMP (*.BMP;*.RLE)"+TAB+"*.BMP;*.RLE"+CR+"Icon (*.ICO)"+TAB+"*.ICO"+CR+"Other"+TAB+"*.GIF;*.TIF;*.JPG"

<Default extension>: Character string (with quotes)

Extension assigned by default to the selected file (see the Notes).
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
Versions 16 and later
This parameter is ignored.
New in version 16
This parameter is ignored.
This parameter is ignored.

<Selection mode>: Optional constant (or combination of constants)

Used to define the selection mode of the picker:
fPathUNICODE
Versions 15 and later
<Result> will be a character string in Unicode format.
This constant is ignored. <Result> is always in Unicode format.
New in version 15
<Result> will be a character string in Unicode format.
This constant is ignored. <Result> is always in Unicode format.
<Result> will be a character string in Unicode format.
This constant is ignored. <Result> is always in Unicode format.
Versions 16 and later
This constant is ignored.
New in version 16
This constant is ignored.
This constant is ignored.
fselCreate Opens the file picker in creation mode ("Save" button).
fselOpen Opens the file picker in opening mode ("Open" button).
fselExist If this constant is combined:
with fselCreate: Returns the name of selected file. If the file already exists, a dialog box displays and allows the user to overwrite the former file.
with fselOpen: Returns the name of the selected file if this file exists.
fselMulti Opens the file picker in multiselection mode. The user can select several files by pressing the "Ctrl" and "Shift" keys.
This constant is not available.
fselChange Sends the MessageSelect message to the calling WINDEV window whenever a click is performed on a file found in the file picker.
By default, the file picker is called by fselOpen + fselExist.

Opening a file picker by specifying the file selected by default Hide the details

<Result> = fSelect(<Full path of file selected by default> , <Picker title> , <Types of files> , <Default extension> [, <Selection mode>])

<Result>: Character string

Full name of selected files. If several files are selected, the names of the files are separated by CR characters (Carriage Return).
Full name of file to create.
Empty string ("") if no file was selected or created.

<Full path of file selected by default>: Character string (with quotes)

Full (or relative) path of the file selected by default (including the file name and its extension. If this parameter is an empty string (""), the initial directory will be the current directory and no file will be selected by default.
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
Full path of the file selected by default (including the name of the file and its extension). This file must be found:
in one of the immediate subdirectories of "\My Documents". This directory must not start with "\".
in a directory found at the root of a storage card.
If this parameter is an empty string (""), the initial directory will correspond to the "\My Documents" directory and no file will be selected by default.

<Picker title>: Character string (with quotes)

Caption displayed in the title bar of file picker. If this parameter is an empty string (""), the title of the current WINDEV window will be displayed.
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.

<Types of files>: Character string (with quotes)

Description of types of files that can be selected. This description has the following format:

<Types Files> + TAB + <List Extensions> [ + CR + ...
<Types Files 2> + TAB + <List Extensions 2>]

<Types Files>: character string describing the type of file ("BMP (*.BMP;*.RLE)" for example).
<List Extensions>: extensions corresponding to the described type ("*.BMP;*.RLE" for example).
For example:
"BMP (*.BMP;*.RLE)"+TAB+"*.BMP;*.RLE"+CR+"Icon (*.ICO)"+TAB+"*.ICO"+CR+"Other"+TAB+"*.GIF;*.TIF;*.JPG"
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.

<Default extension>: Character string (with quotes)

Extension assigned by default to the selected file (see the Notes).
Versions 15 and later
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
New in version 15
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
This parameter can be in Ansi or Unicode format.
Versions 16 and later
This parameter is ignored.
New in version 16
This parameter is ignored.
This parameter is ignored.

<Selection mode>: Optional constant (or combination of constants)

Used to define the selection mode of the picker:
fPathUNICODE
Versions 15 and later
<Result> will be a character string in Unicode format.
This constant is ignored. <Result> is always in Unicode format.
New in version 15
<Result> will be a character string in Unicode format.
This constant is ignored. <Result> is always in Unicode format.
<Result> will be a character string in Unicode format.
This constant is ignored. <Result> is always in Unicode format.
Versions 16 and later
This constant is ignored.
New in version 16
This constant is ignored.
This constant is ignored.
fselCreate Opens the file picker in creation mode ("Save" button).
fselOpen Opens the file picker in opening mode ("Open" button).
fselExist If this constant is combined:
with fselCreate: Returns the name of selected file. If the file already exists, a dialog box displays and allows the user to overwrite the former file.
with fselOpen: Returns the name of the selected file if this file exists.
fselMulti Opens the file picker in multiselection mode. The user can select several files by pressing the "Ctrl" and "Shift" keys.
This constant is not available.
fselChange Sends the MessageSelect message to the calling WINDEV window whenever a click is performed on a file found in the file picker.
By default, the file picker is called by fselOpen + fselExist.

Remarks

Default extension (when creating a file with the fSelCreate constant)

The extension of a selected file (file to create) differs according to:

<Default extension>,
the extension entered by the user.

For example, the table below presents the extension that will be taken into account according to <Default extension> and to the extension entered by the user:

<Default extension>	Extension entered by the user	Extension taken into account when creating the file

".TXT"	"File.BMP" BMP is a valid and recognized extension.	"File.BMP"
".TXT"	"File.PAF" PAF is an invalid extension. The name of the file will be completed by the <Default extension>.	"File.PAF.TXT"
".TXT"	"File" No extension is entered. The <Default extension> is used.	"File.TXT"
"" (empty string)	"File.BMP" BMP is a valid and recognized extension.	"File.BMP"
"" (empty string)	"File.PAF" PAF is an invalid extension. The name of the file will be completed by the first extension found in the "Type of File" displayed. Type of file displayed: "Text (.TXT;.DOC)"	"File.PAF.TXT"
"" (empty string)	"File.PAF" PAF is an invalid extension. The type of the file being ".", the invalid extension is kept. Type of file displayed: "All the files(.)"	"File.PAF"
"" (empty string)	"File" No extension is entered. The extension used is the first extension found in the "Type of File" displayed. Type of file displayed: "Text (.TXT;.DOC)"	"File.TXT"
"" (empty string)	"File" No extension is entered. The type of the file being ".", the name of the file is kept without extension. Type of file displayed: "All the files(.)"	"File"

Default extension when opening a file

The extension of a selected file (file to open) corresponds to the extension selected by default when opening the file picker. <Default extension> must correspond to the letters corresponding to the extension ("lst" to select "*.lst" by default).

Clicking a file found in the file picker

To run a specific process when clicking a file found in the file picker, branch an event on the message WM_USER + 600 (1624). When this message is received:

the lParam variable contains the address of the selected file
the wParam variable contains the address of the selected file.

For example, you have the ability to play the sound selected in the file picker (see Example 2, available by clicking the "Example" link at the top of help page).

Selecting directories

fSelect is used to select files. To select a directory, use fSelectDir.

"My Documents" directory

If the initial directory corresponds to "My Documents":

the file picker will display all the files located in "My Documents" and in its immediate subdirectories.
the "Folder" option of the file picker will correspond to "All folders".

Operating mode in GO mode and at runtime

In GO mode (simulation on the development computer), during the call to fSelect:

the file picker of the development computer is displayed.
<Initial directory> is ignored. The initial directory corresponds to the current directory.
<Result> contains a path in the format of the development computer (for example: "C:\MyDirectories").

The differences between GO mode (simulator) and real use are presented in Differences between GO mode and real use.

Network drives, manifest and UAC

In Windows Vista and later, if the UAC is enabled and if the executable is generated with a manifest requesting privileges (see Generating the executable), the file picker opened by fSelect will have no access to the network drives associated with the user who opened the Windows session. See FAQ about Windows Vista and later for more details.

Examples of file pickers

The Windows file picker is as follows:

Remark: In Windows Vista (and later), the file picker of Windows Vista is opened.

The Pocket PC file picker is as follows:

In Pocket PC, the file picker is used to select the files found:

in "\My Documents" or in one of its immediate subdirectories.
in a directory found at the root of a storage card.

Therefore, fSelect can only be used to select a file found in one of these directories.

Versions 16 and later

The Linux file picker is as follows:

New in version 16

The Linux file picker is as follows:

Business / UI classification : UI Code

Component : wd260std.dll