C#: How to open Windows Explorer windows with a number of files selected
Try starting this:
explorer.exe /select,Z:\Music\Thursday Blues\01. I wish it was friday.mp3
Disclaimer: I think VirtualBlackFox's answer is better than mine although it has less votes at present, so scroll down and read that one first :)
Easy method (might not work on all platforms):
Process.Start(String, String)
First argument is the application, second argument is the command line parameters of the application..
So for example:
Process.Start("explorer.exe",
"/select,Z:\Music\Thursday Blues\01. I wish it was friday.mp3")
Process.Start("explorer.exe",
"/select,Z:\Music\Counting Sheep\01. Sheep #1.mp3 /select,Z:\Music\Counting Sheep\02. Sheep #2.mp3")
(I think you might need escaped quotes around the file paths if they have spaces).
more info: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/h6ak8zt5.aspx
(compiled from several answers to this question)
Harder method, but more likely to work, taken from this answer to another question:
Use the shell function SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems
Here is some sample code showing how to use the function in C/C++, without error checking:
//Directory to open
ITEMIDLIST *dir = ILCreateFromPath(_T("C:\\"));
//Items in directory to select
ITEMIDLIST *item1 = ILCreateFromPath(_T("C:\\Program Files\\"));
ITEMIDLIST *item2 = ILCreateFromPath(_T("C:\\Windows\\"));
const ITEMIDLIST* selection[] = {item1,item2};
UINT count = sizeof(selection) / sizeof(ITEMIDLIST);
//Perform selection
SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(dir, count, selection, 0);
//Free resources
ILFree(dir);
ILFree(item1);
ILFree(item2);
Searching for an answer after a coworker had the issue i found none so i wrote a small class to do this. The code is on Gist and i will paste the curent version at the end of this post.
With your sample files, the syntax will be :
ShowSelectedInExplorer.FilesOrFolders(
@"Z:\Music\Thursday Blues\01. I wish it was friday.mp3",
@"Z:\Music\Counting Sheep\01. Sheep #1.mp3",
@"Z:\Music\Counting Sheep\02. Sheep #2.mp3"
);
There are some limitations to my code compared to the low level API, mainly :
- Selecting on the desktop is not implemented
- The parent directory must be a directory or a drive, so you can't select multiple drives in the My Computer folder for example.
Anyway, here is the ShowSelectedInExplorer class source code :
namespace SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems
{
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes;
static class ShowSelectedInExplorer
{
[Flags]
enum SHCONT : ushort
{
SHCONTF_CHECKING_FOR_CHILDREN = 0x0010,
SHCONTF_FOLDERS = 0x0020,
SHCONTF_NONFOLDERS = 0x0040,
SHCONTF_INCLUDEHIDDEN = 0x0080,
SHCONTF_INIT_ON_FIRST_NEXT = 0x0100,
SHCONTF_NETPRINTERSRCH = 0x0200,
SHCONTF_SHAREABLE = 0x0400,
SHCONTF_STORAGE = 0x0800,
SHCONTF_NAVIGATION_ENUM = 0x1000,
SHCONTF_FASTITEMS = 0x2000,
SHCONTF_FLATLIST = 0x4000,
SHCONTF_ENABLE_ASYNC = 0x8000
}
[ComImport,
Guid("000214E6-0000-0000-C000-000000000046"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown),
ComConversionLoss]
interface IShellFolder
{
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
void ParseDisplayName(IntPtr hwnd, [In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Interface)] IBindCtx pbc, [In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszDisplayName, [Out] out uint pchEaten, [Out] out IntPtr ppidl, [In, Out] ref uint pdwAttributes);
[PreserveSig]
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
int EnumObjects([In] IntPtr hwnd, [In] SHCONT grfFlags, [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Interface)] out IEnumIDList ppenumIDList);
[PreserveSig]
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
int BindToObject([In] IntPtr pidl, [In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Interface)] IBindCtx pbc, [In] ref Guid riid, [Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Interface)] out IShellFolder ppv);
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
void BindToStorage([In] ref IntPtr pidl, [In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Interface)] IBindCtx pbc, [In] ref Guid riid, out IntPtr ppv);
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
void CompareIDs([In] IntPtr lParam, [In] ref IntPtr pidl1, [In] ref IntPtr pidl2);
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
void CreateViewObject([In] IntPtr hwndOwner, [In] ref Guid riid, out IntPtr ppv);
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
void GetAttributesOf([In] uint cidl, [In] IntPtr apidl, [In, Out] ref uint rgfInOut);
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
void GetUIObjectOf([In] IntPtr hwndOwner, [In] uint cidl, [In] IntPtr apidl, [In] ref Guid riid, [In, Out] ref uint rgfReserved, out IntPtr ppv);
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
void GetDisplayNameOf([In] ref IntPtr pidl, [In] uint uFlags, out IntPtr pName);
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
void SetNameOf([In] IntPtr hwnd, [In] ref IntPtr pidl, [In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszName, [In] uint uFlags, [Out] IntPtr ppidlOut);
}
[ComImport,
Guid("000214F2-0000-0000-C000-000000000046"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
interface IEnumIDList
{
[PreserveSig]
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
int Next(uint celt, IntPtr rgelt, out uint pceltFetched);
[PreserveSig]
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
int Skip([In] uint celt);
[PreserveSig]
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
int Reset();
[PreserveSig]
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall, MethodCodeType = MethodCodeType.Runtime)]
int Clone([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Interface)] out IEnumIDList ppenum);
}
static class NativeMethods
{
[DllImport("shell32.dll", EntryPoint = "SHGetDesktopFolder", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode,
SetLastError = true)]
static extern int SHGetDesktopFolder_([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Interface)] out IShellFolder ppshf);
public static IShellFolder SHGetDesktopFolder()
{
IShellFolder result;
Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR(SHGetDesktopFolder_(out result));
return result;
}
[DllImport("shell32.dll", EntryPoint = "SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems")]
static extern int SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems_(
[In] IntPtr pidlFolder, uint cidl, [In, Optional, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray)] IntPtr[] apidl,
int dwFlags);
public static void SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(IntPtr pidlFolder, IntPtr[] apidl, int dwFlags)
{
var cidl = (apidl != null) ? (uint)apidl.Length : 0U;
var result = SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems_(pidlFolder, cidl, apidl, dwFlags);
Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR(result);
}
[DllImport("shell32.dll")]
public static extern void ILFree([In] IntPtr pidl);
}
static IntPtr GetShellFolderChildrenRelativePIDL(IShellFolder parentFolder, string displayName)
{
uint pchEaten;
uint pdwAttributes = 0;
IntPtr ppidl;
parentFolder.ParseDisplayName(IntPtr.Zero, null, displayName, out pchEaten, out ppidl, ref pdwAttributes);
return ppidl;
}
static IntPtr PathToAbsolutePIDL(string path)
{
var desktopFolder = NativeMethods.SHGetDesktopFolder();
return GetShellFolderChildrenRelativePIDL(desktopFolder, path);
}
static Guid IID_IShellFolder = typeof(IShellFolder).GUID;
static IShellFolder PIDLToShellFolder(IShellFolder parent, IntPtr pidl)
{
IShellFolder folder;
var result = parent.BindToObject(pidl, null, ref IID_IShellFolder, out folder);
Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR((int)result);
return folder;
}
static IShellFolder PIDLToShellFolder(IntPtr pidl)
{
return PIDLToShellFolder(NativeMethods.SHGetDesktopFolder(), pidl);
}
static void SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(IntPtr pidlFolder, IntPtr[] apidl, bool edit)
{
NativeMethods.SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(pidlFolder, apidl, edit ? 1 : 0);
}
public static void FileOrFolder(string path, bool edit = false)
{
if (path == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("path");
var pidl = PathToAbsolutePIDL(path);
try
{
SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(pidl, null, edit);
}
finally
{
NativeMethods.ILFree(pidl);
}
}
static IEnumerable<FileSystemInfo> PathToFileSystemInfo(IEnumerable<string> paths)
{
foreach (var path in paths)
{
var fixedPath = path;
if (fixedPath.EndsWith(Path.DirectorySeparatorChar.ToString())
|| fixedPath.EndsWith(Path.AltDirectorySeparatorChar.ToString()))
{
fixedPath = fixedPath.Remove(fixedPath.Length - 1);
}
if (Directory.Exists(fixedPath))
{
yield return new DirectoryInfo(fixedPath);
}
else if (File.Exists(fixedPath))
{
yield return new FileInfo(fixedPath);
}
else
{
throw new FileNotFoundException
(string.Format("The specified file or folder doesn't exists : {0}", fixedPath),
fixedPath);
}
}
}
public static void FilesOrFolders(string parentDirectory, ICollection<string> filenames)
{
if (filenames == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("filenames");
if (filenames.Count == 0) return;
var parentPidl = PathToAbsolutePIDL(parentDirectory);
try
{
var parent = PIDLToShellFolder(parentPidl);
var filesPidl = filenames
.Select(filename => GetShellFolderChildrenRelativePIDL(parent, filename))
.ToArray();
try
{
SHOpenFolderAndSelectItems(parentPidl, filesPidl, false);
}
finally
{
foreach (var pidl in filesPidl)
{
NativeMethods.ILFree(pidl);
}
}
}
finally
{
NativeMethods.ILFree(parentPidl);
}
}
public static void FilesOrFolders(params string[] paths)
{
FilesOrFolders((IEnumerable<string>)paths);
}
public static void FilesOrFolders(IEnumerable<string> paths)
{
if (paths == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("paths");
FilesOrFolders(PathToFileSystemInfo(paths));
}
public static void FilesOrFolders(IEnumerable<FileSystemInfo> paths)
{
if (paths == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("paths");
var pathsArray = paths.ToArray();
if (pathsArray.Count() == 0) return;
var explorerWindows = pathsArray.GroupBy(p => Path.GetDirectoryName(p.FullName));
foreach (var explorerWindowPaths in explorerWindows)
{
var parentDirectory = Path.GetDirectoryName(explorerWindowPaths.First().FullName);
FilesOrFolders(parentDirectory, explorerWindowPaths.Select(fsi => fsi.Name).ToList());
}
}
}
class Program
{
static void Main()
{
var test = 3;
switch (test)
{
case 0:
var mydocs = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments);
ShowSelectedInExplorer.FileOrFolder(Path.Combine(mydocs, "Visual Studio 2010"), edit: true);
break;
case 1:
ShowSelectedInExplorer.FileOrFolder(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.UserProfile));
break;
case 2:
ShowSelectedInExplorer.FilesOrFolders(@"C:\Windows\", new[] { "Microsoft.NET", "System32", "Setup" });
break;
case 3:
ShowSelectedInExplorer.FilesOrFolders(@"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\", @"C:\Windows\System32", @"C:\Windows\Setup", @"C:\Program Files");
break;
}
}
}
}