Shell BrowseForFolder preselected path

Question

I have this call:

oShell.BrowseForFolder(Me.hwnd, "Select path:", 0, "C:\dir\")

This opens a standard file browser dialog with "C:\dir\" as root. My problem is that you can not browse above the root folder. (as specified in doc http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb774065(v=vs.85).aspx)

Any suggestions on oppening this dialog with a selected path and full browsing posibility?

Thanks

Answer 1

The way to do this involves calling the underlying API, SHBrowseForFolder().

Since you want the entire shell namespace to be available you need to pass NULL as pidlRoot. In order to select your desired folder you will need to provide a callback in lpfn. Make this callback respond to BFFM_INITIALIZED by setting the selected folder. This selection is performed by sending the BFFM_SETSELECTION message to the dialog's window handle (passed to the callback function).

No code because I don't have VB6, but hopefully this outline of the method is enough to get you on your way.

Answer 2

Karl E Peterson's excellent website contains a sample which demonstrates the API call SHBrowseForFolder with a callback, as in David Heffernan's answer.

The KeyStuff project

Look at MFolderBrowse.bas, routine BrowseForFolderByPIDL which passes a callback function BrowseCallbackProc.

Answer 3

Try the old CCRP project. It has a nicely done implementation of the Browse dialog. I used it in several of my projects and it has properties to address the issue you are having.

Answer 4

Here a code ready for copy and paste in a C++ class:

// static
int CALLBACK Func::FolderBrowserCallback(HWND h_Dlg, UINT uMsg, LPARAM lParam, LPARAM lpData)
{
    if (uMsg == BFFM_INITIALIZED)
    {
        // Requires Windows XP or higher
        SendMessageW(h_Dlg, BFFM_SETEXPANDED, TRUE, lpData);
    }
    return 0;
}

// returns an empty string u16_PathOut if an error occurrs or if the user cancels the dialog
void Func::GetOpenFolder(HWND           h_Owner, 
                         const WCHAR* u16_Title,     // IN:  Title at the top of dialog
                         int          s32_CsidlRoot, // IN:  Root folder for treeview (CSIDL_DRIVES -> My Computer)
                         const WCHAR* u16_Preselect, // IN:  NULL or the folder to be preselected and expanded
                         WCHAR*       u16_PathOut)   // OUT: selected path
{
    u16_PathOut[0] = 0;

    // CoInitialize(NULL);
    // InitCommonControls();

    ITEMIDLIST* pk_RootPIDL = NULL; // NULL -> Root = Desktop
    SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(h_Owner, s32_CsidlRoot, &pk_RootPIDL);

    BROWSEINFOW k_Info = {0};
    k_Info.hwndOwner = h_Owner;
    k_Info.pidlRoot  = pk_RootPIDL;
    k_Info.lpszTitle = u16_Title;
    k_Info.ulFlags   = BIF_RETURNONLYFSDIRS | BIF_USENEWUI;

    if (u16_Preselect)
    {
        k_Info.lpfn   = FolderBrowserCallback;
        k_Info.lParam = (LPARAM)u16_Preselect;
    }

    // DO NOT DISABLE Wow64FsRedirection HERE !!
    LPITEMIDLIST pk_IDlist = SHBrowseForFolderW(&k_Info);
    if (pk_IDlist)
    {
        SHGetPathFromIDListW(pk_IDlist, u16_PathOut);
        CoTaskMemFree(pk_IDlist);
    }

    CoTaskMemFree(pk_RootPIDL);
}