I'm trying to open a folder in explorer with a file selected.
The following code produces a file not found exception:
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(
"explorer.exe /select,"
+ listView1.SelectedItems[0].SubItems[1].Text + "\\"
+ listView1.SelectedItems[0].Text);
How can I get this command to execute in C#?
Using Process.Start on explorer.exe with the /select argument oddly only works for paths less than 120 characters long.
I had to use a native windows method to get it to work in all cases:
[DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
public static extern int SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(IntPtr pidlFolder, uint cidl, [In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray)] IntPtr[] apidl, uint dwFlags);
[DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
public static extern void SHParseDisplayName([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string name, IntPtr bindingContext, [Out] out IntPtr pidl, uint sfgaoIn, [Out] out uint psfgaoOut);
public static void OpenFolderAndSelectItem(string folderPath, string file)
{
IntPtr nativeFolder;
uint psfgaoOut;
SHParseDisplayName(folderPath, IntPtr.Zero, out nativeFolder, 0, out psfgaoOut);
if (nativeFolder == IntPtr.Zero)
{
// Log error, can't find folder
return;
}
IntPtr nativeFile;
SHParseDisplayName(Path.Combine(folderPath, file), IntPtr.Zero, out nativeFile, 0, out psfgaoOut);
IntPtr[] fileArray;
if (nativeFile == IntPtr.Zero)
{
// Open the folder without the file selected if we can't find the file
fileArray = new IntPtr[0];
}
else
{
fileArray = new IntPtr[] { nativeFile };
}
SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(nativeFolder, (uint)fileArray.Length, fileArray, 0);
Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(nativeFolder);
if (nativeFile != IntPtr.Zero)
{
Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(nativeFile);
}
}
You need to put the arguments to pass ("/select etc") in the second parameter of the Start method.
If your path contains comma's, putting quotes around the path will work when using Process.Start(ProcessStartInfo).
It will NOT work when using Process.Start(string, string) however. It seems like Process.Start(string, string) actually removes the quotes inside of your args.
Here is a simple example that works for me.
string p = @"C:\tmp\this path contains spaces, and,commas\target.txt";
string args = string.Format("/e, /select, \"{0}\"", p);
ProcessStartInfo info = new ProcessStartInfo();
info.FileName = "explorer";
info.Arguments = args;
Process.Start(info);
// suppose that we have a test.txt at E:\
string filePath = @"E:\test.txt";
if (!File.Exists(filePath))
{
return;
}
// combine the arguments together
// it doesn't matter if there is a space after ','
string argument = "/select, \"" + filePath +"\"";
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("explorer.exe", argument);
Use "/select,c:\file.txt"
Notice there should be a comma after /select instead of space..
The most possible reason for it not to find the file is the path having spaces in. For example, it won't find "explorer /select,c:\space space\space.txt".
Just add double quotes before and after the path, like;
explorer /select,"c:\space space\space.txt"
or do the same in C# with
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("explorer.exe","/select,\"c:\space space\space.txt\"");
If your path contains comma's, putting quotes around the path will work when using Process.Start(ProcessStartInfo).
It will NOT work when using Process.Start(string, string) however. It seems like Process.Start(string, string) actually removes the quotes inside of your args.
Here is a simple example that works for me.
string p = @"C:\tmp\this path contains spaces, and,commas\target.txt";
string args = string.Format("/e, /select, \"{0}\"", p);
ProcessStartInfo info = new ProcessStartInfo();
info.FileName = "explorer";
info.Arguments = args;
Process.Start(info);
You need to put the arguments to pass ("/select etc") in the second parameter of the Start method.
string windir = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("windir");
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(windir.Trim())) {
windir = "C:\\Windows\\";
}
if (!windir.EndsWith("\\")) {
windir += "\\";
}
FileInfo fileToLocate = null;
fileToLocate = new FileInfo("C:\\Temp\\myfile.txt");
ProcessStartInfo pi = new ProcessStartInfo(windir + "explorer.exe");
pi.Arguments = "/select, \"" + fileToLocate.FullName + "\"";
pi.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Normal;
pi.WorkingDirectory = windir;
//Start Process
Process.Start(pi)
Just my 2 cents worth, if your filename contains spaces, ie "c:\My File Contains Spaces.txt", you'll need to surround the filename with quotes otherwise explorer will assume that the othe words are different arguments...
string argument = "/select, \"" + filePath +"\"";
Use "/select,c:\file.txt"
Notice there should be a comma after /select instead of space..
Just my 2 cents worth, if your filename contains spaces, ie "c:\My File Contains Spaces.txt", you'll need to surround the filename with quotes otherwise explorer will assume that the othe words are different arguments...
string argument = "/select, \"" + filePath +"\"";
Using Process.Start on explorer.exe with the /select argument oddly only works for paths less than 120 characters long.
I had to use a native windows method to get it to work in all cases:
[DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
public static extern int SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(IntPtr pidlFolder, uint cidl, [In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray)] IntPtr[] apidl, uint dwFlags);
[DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
public static extern void SHParseDisplayName([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string name, IntPtr bindingContext, [Out] out IntPtr pidl, uint sfgaoIn, [Out] out uint psfgaoOut);
public static void OpenFolderAndSelectItem(string folderPath, string file)
{
IntPtr nativeFolder;
uint psfgaoOut;
SHParseDisplayName(folderPath, IntPtr.Zero, out nativeFolder, 0, out psfgaoOut);
if (nativeFolder == IntPtr.Zero)
{
// Log error, can't find folder
return;
}
IntPtr nativeFile;
SHParseDisplayName(Path.Combine(folderPath, file), IntPtr.Zero, out nativeFile, 0, out psfgaoOut);
IntPtr[] fileArray;
if (nativeFile == IntPtr.Zero)
{
// Open the folder without the file selected if we can't find the file
fileArray = new IntPtr[0];
}
else
{
fileArray = new IntPtr[] { nativeFile };
}
SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(nativeFolder, (uint)fileArray.Length, fileArray, 0);
Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(nativeFolder);
if (nativeFile != IntPtr.Zero)
{
Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(nativeFile);
}
}
You need to put the arguments to pass ("/select etc") in the second parameter of the Start method.
Samuel Yang answer tripped me up, here is my 3 cents worth.
Adrian Hum is right, make sure you put quotes around your filename. Not because it can't handle spaces as zourtney pointed out, but because it will recognize the commas (and possibly other characters) in filenames as separate arguments. So it should look as Adrian Hum suggested.
string argument = "/select, \"" + filePath +"\"";
string windir = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("windir");
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(windir.Trim())) {
windir = "C:\\Windows\\";
}
if (!windir.EndsWith("\\")) {
windir += "\\";
}
FileInfo fileToLocate = null;
fileToLocate = new FileInfo("C:\\Temp\\myfile.txt");
ProcessStartInfo pi = new ProcessStartInfo(windir + "explorer.exe");
pi.Arguments = "/select, \"" + fileToLocate.FullName + "\"";
pi.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Normal;
pi.WorkingDirectory = windir;
//Start Process
Process.Start(pi)
The most possible reason for it not to find the file is the path having spaces in. For example, it won't find "explorer /select,c:\space space\space.txt".
Just add double quotes before and after the path, like;
explorer /select,"c:\space space\space.txt"
or do the same in C# with
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("explorer.exe","/select,\"c:\space space\space.txt\"");
It might be a bit of a overkill but I like convinience functions so take this one:
public static void ShowFileInExplorer(FileInfo file) {
StartProcess("explorer.exe", null, "/select, "+file.FullName.Quote());
}
public static Process StartProcess(FileInfo file, params string[] args) => StartProcess(file.FullName, file.DirectoryName, args);
public static Process StartProcess(string file, string workDir = null, params string[] args) {
ProcessStartInfo proc = new ProcessStartInfo();
proc.FileName = file;
proc.Arguments = string.Join(" ", args);
Logger.Debug(proc.FileName, proc.Arguments); // Replace with your logging function
if (workDir != null) {
proc.WorkingDirectory = workDir;
Logger.Debug("WorkingDirectory:", proc.WorkingDirectory); // Replace with your logging function
}
return Process.Start(proc);
}
This is the extension function I use as <string>.Quote():
static class Extensions
{
public static string Quote(this string text)
{
return SurroundWith(text, "\"");
}
public static string SurroundWith(this string text, string surrounds)
{
return surrounds + text + surrounds;
}
}
Samuel Yang answer tripped me up, here is my 3 cents worth.
Adrian Hum is right, make sure you put quotes around your filename. Not because it can't handle spaces as zourtney pointed out, but because it will recognize the commas (and possibly other characters) in filenames as separate arguments. So it should look as Adrian Hum suggested.
string argument = "/select, \"" + filePath +"\"";
You need to put the arguments to pass ("/select etc") in the second parameter of the Start method.
It might be a bit of a overkill but I like convinience functions so take this one:
public static void ShowFileInExplorer(FileInfo file) {
StartProcess("explorer.exe", null, "/select, "+file.FullName.Quote());
}
public static Process StartProcess(FileInfo file, params string[] args) => StartProcess(file.FullName, file.DirectoryName, args);
public static Process StartProcess(string file, string workDir = null, params string[] args) {
ProcessStartInfo proc = new ProcessStartInfo();
proc.FileName = file;
proc.Arguments = string.Join(" ", args);
Logger.Debug(proc.FileName, proc.Arguments); // Replace with your logging function
if (workDir != null) {
proc.WorkingDirectory = workDir;
Logger.Debug("WorkingDirectory:", proc.WorkingDirectory); // Replace with your logging function
}
return Process.Start(proc);
}
This is the extension function I use as <string>.Quote():
static class Extensions
{
public static string Quote(this string text)
{
return SurroundWith(text, "\"");
}
public static string SurroundWith(this string text, string surrounds)
{
return surrounds + text + surrounds;
}
}
// suppose that we have a test.txt at E:\
string filePath = @"E:\test.txt";
if (!File.Exists(filePath))
{
return;
}
// combine the arguments together
// it doesn't matter if there is a space after ','
string argument = "/select, \"" + filePath +"\"";
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("explorer.exe", argument);
Source: Stackoverflow.com