Parse FileDialog FilterString

Question

Parse FileDialog FilterString

S-Soft 481

Hello,

I have a FileDialog.FilterString like this:

And need to parse out the supported extensions from it, in this case:

.*
.ex1

.ext2

Asked here so maybe someone can suggest a safe short way to do so, preferred without regex :)

Thanks all

OR: If OFD.Filter.Contains(Path.GetExtension(OFD.FileName).ToLowerInvariant) = False/True Then... Is this reliable to check if extensions inside FilterString are selected? Except *. *

Dewayne Basnett 606 Reputation points

2023-03-08T16:48:35.6466667+00:00

Are you trying to find out information before or after a file is selected? Very confusing question.
S-Soft 481 Reputation points

2023-03-08T23:50:24.3633333+00:00

Hello, thanks for helping out, after file is selected and dialog is closed :)
Dewayne Basnett 606 Reputation points

2023-03-09T14:22:21.94+00:00

You are trying to check if the file has one of the extensions specified OR not, i.e. they selected the All files option?
Jiachen Li-MSFT 11,476 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-03-16T07:44:02.36+00:00

Hi, may I know if you have got any chance to check my answer? I am glad to help if you have any other questions.

Dewayne Basnett 606 Reputation points

2023-03-08T16:48:35.6466667+00:00

Are you trying to find out information before or after a file is selected? Very confusing question.
S-Soft 481 Reputation points

2023-03-08T23:50:24.3633333+00:00

Hello, thanks for helping out, after file is selected and dialog is closed :)
Dewayne Basnett 606 Reputation points

2023-03-09T14:22:21.94+00:00

You are trying to check if the file has one of the extensions specified OR not, i.e. they selected the All files option?
Jiachen Li-MSFT 11,476 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-03-16T07:44:02.36+00:00

Hi, may I know if you have got any chance to check my answer? I am glad to help if you have any other questions.

Answer 1

LesHay 6,671

Hi

Not sure what you are asking for here. You have the user select a file from a dialog which has that filter set for it - then the filename returned will have the extension and in turn, it is simple to get the extension from that filename.

Where, in that process do you want to parse the filter? What reason to bother to parse it (presumably you set up the filter in your code in the first place)?

The filter, being a simple string can be manipulated quite easily as would any sting.

S-Soft 481 Reputation points

2023-03-07T14:32:20.49+00:00

Hello, and thanks for help, making a custom control which includes a textbox and button to show a file open dialog, the file dialog filter is passed to my custom control via a property.

when user choose a file, I'll have to check if selected extension is valid comparing with filter string?

Thanks :)
LesHay 6,671 Reputation points

2023-03-07T15:21:04.69+00:00

Hi

Sorry, I am confused. If your custom control uses an OpenFileDialog with a filter (either locally created or passed in via a Property), then the filter itself will restrict the user to those file types, meaning you would not need to parse anything.

I must be missing something of your question. The provision of a filter in an OpenFileDialog is precisely for the 'parsing' of a user file selection (by not showing those not meeting the filter requirements).
S-Soft 481 Reputation points

2023-03-07T16:32:28.76+00:00

You mean if we set file dialog filter string to show only htm files, we cannot open any other file extension ?!!!!!! cmon man!
LesHay 6,671 Reputation points

2023-03-07T16:46:03.8133333+00:00

Hi

What does 'cmon man' mean? There is a huge amount of documantation and example surrounding the use of an OpenFileDialog. The filter string is exactly for limiting the file type selection available to the user. As for your assertion of setting a filter string for only html files - then yes, that would be the case - that is why most/many filter include the All Files option.

I clearly do not have an understanding of your question so I will bow out of the thread.
S-Soft 481 Reputation points

2023-03-07T23:29:21.6133333+00:00

Bro, I mean user can simply enter * into the file name field, press enter, and select any other file type he wants!

Answer 2

Hi @S-Soft ,

Please check if the following code helps. If I misunderstand your question, please point it out.

Select Case Path.GetExtension(myDialog.FileName).ToLower()
    Case ".
        ' ...
End Select

Best Regards.
Jiachen Li
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Parse FileDialog FilterString

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