How to enhance OpenFileDialog() to choose folder instead of files

The select/browse folder which gets launched from VS2022 by selecting

File -> Open -> Folder (from tool bar menu ) looks better and if C# application can launch this UI then application would look integrated with VS2022.

UI launch from FolderBrowserDialog looks outdated.

As per some thread, UI launched from FolderBrowserDialog in .net core is similar to when invoked File -> Open -> Folder from VS2022.

What type of application do you have? The FolderBrowserDialog is a standard Win32 control that every application running on Windows that needs to show a folder dialog uses. It's UX is based upon the version of Windows you run it against. Here's proof they are identical.

One is generated by a basic Winforms app and the other is from VS. Other than the icon you can't tell the difference.

var dlg = new FolderBrowserDialog() {
    Description = "Browse",
    UseDescriptionForTitle = true,
};

dlg.ShowDialog();

Please identify what issue(s) you're having with the dialog such that it isn't sufficient.

Hi,

I am seeing following UX/dialog to select folders using FolderBrowserDialog on Windows 11 Enterprise Version 21H2.

I am not seeing UX as updated by you.

Is there any setting which needs to be done?

I am having C# application with Target framework .NET 4.8.

Hi,

Please note, With my c# application on my m/c , I don't see UseDescriptionForTitle property defined on FolderBrowserDialog class.

I am using FolderBrowserDialog from System.Windows.Forms namespace.

Are you using FolderBrowserDialog from different namespace?

what version of System.Windows.Forms.dll you are using ? In other words from which location you added reference of System.Windows.Forms.dll in the project?

OK so you're using NET 4.8 which is the older framework. What I showed you is how NET 6+ works with the modernized UI. Ideally upgrade your project to NET 8+ and then the dialog will be modern.

Since that may be a tall order right now then in the interim you can use the FolderDialogEx NuGet package which adds this modern UX to your existing NET 4.8 project. It requires that you add the NuGet package and then make a slight adjustment to the code to use the new dialog. Here's a version of the code that supports both NET 4.8 and NET 8+. The older framework uses the NuGet package the newer framework uses the builtin update.

private void openFolderToolStripMenuItem_Click ( object sender, EventArgs e )
{
#if NETFRAMEWORK
   var dlg = new FolderBrowserEx.FolderBrowserDialog() {
        Title = "Browse",                
   };
#else
   var dlg = new FolderBrowserDialog() {
                    Description = "Browse",
                    UseDescriptionForTitle = true,                
   };            
#endif

   dlg.ShowDialog();
}

Once you've updated your code to NET 8+ then you can remove the legacy code and package.