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[Starting with Windows Vista, the Open and Save As common dialog boxes have been superseded by the Common Item Dialog. We recommended that you use the Common Item Dialog API instead of these dialog boxes from the Common Dialog Box Library.]
Contains information that the GetOpenFileName and GetSaveFileName functions use to initialize an Open or Save As dialog box. After the user closes the dialog box, the system returns information about the user's selection in this structure.
typedef struct tagOFNA {
DWORD lStructSize;
HWND hwndOwner;
HINSTANCE hInstance;
LPCSTR lpstrFilter;
LPSTR lpstrCustomFilter;
DWORD nMaxCustFilter;
DWORD nFilterIndex;
LPSTR lpstrFile;
DWORD nMaxFile;
LPSTR lpstrFileTitle;
DWORD nMaxFileTitle;
LPCSTR lpstrInitialDir;
LPCSTR lpstrTitle;
DWORD Flags;
WORD nFileOffset;
WORD nFileExtension;
LPCSTR lpstrDefExt;
LPARAM lCustData;
LPOFNHOOKPROC lpfnHook;
LPCSTR lpTemplateName;
LPEDITMENU lpEditInfo;
LPCSTR lpstrPrompt;
void *pvReserved;
DWORD dwReserved;
DWORD FlagsEx;
} OPENFILENAMEA, *LPOPENFILENAMEA;
lStructSize
Type: DWORD
The length, in bytes, of the structure.
Use sizeof (OPENFILENAME)
for this parameter.
hwndOwner
Type: HWND
A handle to the window that owns the dialog box. This member can be any valid window handle, or it can be NULL if the dialog box has no owner.
hInstance
Type: HINSTANCE
If the OFN_ENABLETEMPLATEHANDLE flag is set in the Flags member, hInstance is a handle to a memory object containing a dialog box template. If the OFN_ENABLETEMPLATE flag is set, hInstance is a handle to a module that contains a dialog box template named by the lpTemplateName member. If neither flag is set, this member is ignored. If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is set, the system uses the specified template to create a dialog box that is a child of the default Explorer-style dialog box. If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is not set, the system uses the template to create an old-style dialog box that replaces the default dialog box.
lpstrFilter
Type: LPCTSTR
A buffer containing pairs of null-terminated filter strings. The last string in the buffer must be terminated by two NULL characters.
The first string in each pair is a display string that describes the filter (for example, "Text Files"), and the second string specifies the filter pattern (for example, ".TXT"
). To specify multiple filter patterns for a single display string, use a semicolon to separate the patterns (for example, "
.TXT;.DOC;.BAK"
). A pattern string can be a combination of valid file name characters and the asterisk (*) wildcard character. Do not include spaces in the pattern string.
The system does not change the order of the filters. It displays them in the File Types combo box in the order specified in lpstrFilter.
If lpstrFilter is NULL, the dialog box does not display any filters.
In the case of a shortcut, if no filter is set, GetOpenFileName and GetSaveFileName retrieve the name of the .lnk file, not its target. This behavior is the same as setting the OFN_NODEREFERENCELINKS flag in the Flags member. To retrieve a shortcut's target without filtering, use the string "All Files\0*.*\0\0"
.
lpstrCustomFilter
Type: LPTSTR
A static buffer that contains a pair of null-terminated filter strings for preserving the filter pattern chosen by the user. The first string is your display string that describes the custom filter, and the second string is the filter pattern selected by the user. The first time your application creates the dialog box, you specify the first string, which can be any nonempty string. When the user selects a file, the dialog box copies the current filter pattern to the second string. The preserved filter pattern can be one of the patterns specified in the lpstrFilter buffer, or it can be a filter pattern typed by the user. The system uses the strings to initialize the user-defined file filter the next time the dialog box is created. If the nFilterIndex member is zero, the dialog box uses the custom filter.
If this member is NULL, the dialog box does not preserve user-defined filter patterns.
If this member is not NULL, the value of the nMaxCustFilter member must specify the size, in characters, of the lpstrCustomFilter buffer.
nMaxCustFilter
Type: DWORD
The size, in characters, of the buffer identified by lpstrCustomFilter. This buffer should be at least 40 characters long. This member is ignored if lpstrCustomFilter is NULL or points to a NULL string.
nFilterIndex
Type: DWORD
The index of the currently selected filter in the File Types control. The buffer pointed to by lpstrFilter contains pairs of strings that define the filters. The first pair of strings has an index value of 1, the second pair 2, and so on. An index of zero indicates the custom filter specified by lpstrCustomFilter. You can specify an index on input to indicate the initial filter description and filter pattern for the dialog box. When the user selects a file, nFilterIndex returns the index of the currently displayed filter. If nFilterIndex is zero and lpstrCustomFilter is NULL, the system uses the first filter in the lpstrFilter buffer. If all three members are zero or NULL, the system does not use any filters and does not show any files in the file list control of the dialog box.
lpstrFile
Type: LPTSTR
The file name used to initialize the File Name edit control. The first character of this buffer must be NULL if initialization is not necessary. When the GetOpenFileName or GetSaveFileName function returns successfully, this buffer contains the drive designator, path, file name, and extension of the selected file.
If the OFN_ALLOWMULTISELECT flag is set and the user selects multiple files, the buffer contains the current directory followed by the file names of the selected files. For Explorer-style dialog boxes, the directory and file name strings are NULL separated, with an extra NULL character after the last file name. For old-style dialog boxes, the strings are space separated and the function uses short file names for file names with spaces. You can use the FindFirstFile function to convert between long and short file names. If the user selects only one file, the lpstrFile string does not have a separator between the path and file name.
If the buffer is too small, the function returns FALSE and the CommDlgExtendedError function returns FNERR_BUFFERTOOSMALL. In this case, the first two bytes of the lpstrFile buffer contain the required size, in bytes or characters.
nMaxFile
Type: DWORD
The size, in characters, of the buffer pointed to by lpstrFile. The buffer must be large enough to store the path and file name string or strings, including the terminating NULL character. The GetOpenFileName and GetSaveFileName functions return FALSE if the buffer is too small to contain the file information. The buffer should be at least 256 characters long.
lpstrFileTitle
Type: LPTSTR
The file name and extension (without path information) of the selected file. This member can be NULL.
nMaxFileTitle
Type: DWORD
The size, in characters, of the buffer pointed to by lpstrFileTitle. This member is ignored if lpstrFileTitle is NULL.
lpstrInitialDir
Type: LPCTSTR
The initial directory. The algorithm for selecting the initial directory varies on different platforms.
Windows 7:
lpstrTitle
Type: LPCTSTR
A string to be placed in the title bar of the dialog box. If this member is NULL, the system uses the default title (that is, Save As or Open).
Flags
Type: DWORD
A set of bit flags you can use to initialize the dialog box. When the dialog box returns, it sets these flags to indicate the user's input. This member can be a combination of the following flags.
Value | Meaning |
---|---|
|
The File Name list box allows multiple selections. If you also set the OFN_EXPLORER flag, the dialog box uses the Explorer-style user interface; otherwise, it uses the old-style user interface.
If the user selects more than one file, the lpstrFile buffer returns the path to the current directory followed by the file names of the selected files. The nFileOffset member is the offset, in bytes or characters, to the first file name, and the nFileExtension member is not used. For Explorer-style dialog boxes, the directory and file name strings are NULL separated, with an extra NULL character after the last file name. This format enables the Explorer-style dialog boxes to return long file names that include spaces. For old-style dialog boxes, the directory and file name strings are separated by spaces and the function uses short file names for file names with spaces. You can use the FindFirstFile function to convert between long and short file names. If you specify a custom template for an old-style dialog box, the definition of the File Name list box must contain the LBS_EXTENDEDSEL value. |
|
If the user specifies a file that does not exist, this flag causes the dialog box to prompt the user for permission to create the file. If the user chooses to create the file, the dialog box closes and the function returns the specified name; otherwise, the dialog box remains open. If you use this flag with the OFN_ALLOWMULTISELECT flag, the dialog box allows the user to specify only one nonexistent file. |
|
Prevents the system from adding a link to the selected file in the file system directory that contains the user's most recently used documents. To retrieve the location of this directory, call the SHGetSpecialFolderLocation function with the CSIDL_RECENT flag. |
|
Enables the hook function specified in the lpfnHook member. |
|
Causes the dialog box to send CDN_INCLUDEITEM notification messages to your OFNHookProc hook procedure when the user opens a folder. The dialog box sends a notification for each item in the newly opened folder. These messages enable you to control which items the dialog box displays in the folder's item list. |
|
Enables the Explorer-style dialog box to be resized using either the mouse or the keyboard. By default, the Explorer-style Open and Save As dialog boxes allow the dialog box to be resized regardless of whether this flag is set. This flag is necessary only if you provide a hook procedure or custom template. The old-style dialog box does not permit resizing. |
|
The lpTemplateName member is a pointer to the name of a dialog template resource in the module identified by the hInstance member. If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is set, the system uses the specified template to create a dialog box that is a child of the default Explorer-style dialog box. If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is not set, the system uses the template to create an old-style dialog box that replaces the default dialog box. |
|
The hInstance member identifies a data block that contains a preloaded dialog box template. The system ignores lpTemplateName if this flag is specified. If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is set, the system uses the specified template to create a dialog box that is a child of the default Explorer-style dialog box. If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is not set, the system uses the template to create an old-style dialog box that replaces the default dialog box. |
|
Indicates that any customizations made to the Open or Save As dialog box use the Explorer-style customization methods. For more information, see Explorer-Style Hook Procedures and Explorer-Style Custom Templates.
By default, the Open and Save As dialog boxes use the Explorer-style user interface regardless of whether this flag is set. This flag is necessary only if you provide a hook procedure or custom template, or set the OFN_ALLOWMULTISELECT flag. If you want the old-style user interface, omit the OFN_EXPLORER flag and provide a replacement old-style template or hook procedure. If you want the old style but do not need a custom template or hook procedure, simply provide a hook procedure that always returns FALSE. |
|
The user typed a file name extension that differs from the extension specified by lpstrDefExt. The function does not use this flag if lpstrDefExt is NULL. |
|
The user can type only names of existing files in the File Name entry field. If this flag is specified and the user enters an invalid name, the dialog box procedure displays a warning in a message box. If this flag is specified, the OFN_PATHMUSTEXIST flag is also used. This flag can be used in an Open dialog box. It cannot be used with a Save As dialog box. |
|
Forces the showing of system and hidden files, thus overriding the user setting to show or not show hidden files. However, a file that is marked both system and hidden is not shown. |
|
Hides the Read Only check box. |
|
For old-style dialog boxes, this flag causes the dialog box to use long file names. If this flag is not specified, or if the OFN_ALLOWMULTISELECT flag is also set, old-style dialog boxes use short file names (8.3 format) for file names with spaces. Explorer-style dialog boxes ignore this flag and always display long file names. |
|
Restores the current directory to its original value if the user changed the directory while searching for files.
This flag is ineffective for GetOpenFileName. |
|
Directs the dialog box to return the path and file name of the selected shortcut (.LNK) file. If this value is not specified, the dialog box returns the path and file name of the file referenced by the shortcut. |
|
For old-style dialog boxes, this flag causes the dialog box to use short file names (8.3 format). Explorer-style dialog boxes ignore this flag and always display long file names. |
|
Hides and disables the Network button. |
|
The returned file does not have the Read Only check box selected and is not in a write-protected directory. |
|
The file is not created before the dialog box is closed. This flag should be specified if the application saves the file on a create-nonmodify network share. When an application specifies this flag, the library does not check for write protection, a full disk, an open drive door, or network protection. Applications using this flag must perform file operations carefully, because a file cannot be reopened once it is closed. |
|
The common dialog boxes allow invalid characters in the returned file name. Typically, the calling application uses a hook procedure that checks the file name by using the FILEOKSTRING message. If the text box in the edit control is empty or contains nothing but spaces, the lists of files and directories are updated. If the text box in the edit control contains anything else, nFileOffset and nFileExtension are set to values generated by parsing the text. No default extension is added to the text, nor is text copied to the buffer specified by lpstrFileTitle. If the value specified by nFileOffset is less than zero, the file name is invalid. Otherwise, the file name is valid, and nFileExtension and nFileOffset can be used as if the OFN_NOVALIDATE flag had not been specified. |
|
Causes the Save As dialog box to generate a message box if the selected file already exists. The user must confirm whether to overwrite the file. |
|
The user can type only valid paths and file names. If this flag is used and the user types an invalid path and file name in the File Name entry field, the dialog box function displays a warning in a message box. |
|
Causes the Read Only check box to be selected initially when the dialog box is created. This flag indicates the state of the Read Only check box when the dialog box is closed. |
|
Specifies that if a call to the OpenFile function fails because of a network sharing violation, the error is ignored and the dialog box returns the selected file name. If this flag is not set, the dialog box notifies your hook procedure when a network sharing violation occurs for the file name specified by the user. If you set the OFN_EXPLORER flag, the dialog box sends the CDN_SHAREVIOLATION message to the hook procedure. If you do not set OFN_EXPLORER, the dialog box sends the SHAREVISTRING registered message to the hook procedure. |
|
Causes the dialog box to display the Help button. The hwndOwner member must specify the window to receive the HELPMSGSTRING registered messages that the dialog box sends when the user clicks the Help button. An Explorer-style dialog box sends a CDN_HELP notification message to your hook procedure when the user clicks the Help button. |
nFileOffset
Type: WORD
The zero-based offset, in characters, from the beginning of the path to the file name in the string pointed to by lpstrFile. For the ANSI version, this is the number of bytes; for the Unicode version, this is the number of characters. For example, if lpstrFile points to the following string, "c:\dir1\dir2\file.ext", this member contains the value 13 to indicate the offset of the "file.ext" string. If the user selects more than one file, nFileOffset is the offset to the first file name.
nFileExtension
Type: WORD
The zero-based offset, in characters, from the beginning of the path to the file name extension in the string pointed to by lpstrFile. For the ANSI version, this is the number of bytes; for the Unicode version, this is the number of characters. Usually the file name extension is the substring which follows the last occurrence of the dot (".") character. For example, txt is the extension of the filename readme.txt, html the extension of readme.txt.html. Therefore, if lpstrFile points to the string "c:\dir1\dir2\readme.txt", this member contains the value 20. If lpstrFile points to the string "c:\dir1\dir2\readme.txt.html", this member contains the value 24. If lpstrFile points to the string "c:\dir1\dir2\readme.txt.html.", this member contains the value 29. If lpstrFile points to a string that does not contain any "." character such as "c:\dir1\dir2\readme", this member contains zero.
lpstrDefExt
Type: LPCTSTR
The default extension. GetOpenFileName and GetSaveFileName append this extension to the file name if the user fails to type an extension. This string can be any length, but only the first three characters are appended. The string should not contain a period (.). If this member is NULL and the user fails to type an extension, no extension is appended.
lCustData
Type: LPARAM
Application-defined data that the system passes to the hook procedure identified by the lpfnHook member. When the system sends the WM_INITDIALOG message to the hook procedure, the message's lParam parameter is a pointer to the OPENFILENAME structure specified when the dialog box was created. The hook procedure can use this pointer to get the lCustData value.
lpfnHook
Type: LPOFNHOOKPROC
A pointer to a hook procedure. This member is ignored unless the Flags member includes the OFN_ENABLEHOOK flag.
If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is not set in the Flags member, lpfnHook is a pointer to an OFNHookProcOldStyle hook procedure that receives messages intended for the dialog box. The hook procedure returns FALSE to pass a message to the default dialog box procedure or TRUE to discard the message.
If OFN_EXPLORER is set, lpfnHook is a pointer to an OFNHookProc hook procedure. The hook procedure receives notification messages sent from the dialog box. The hook procedure also receives messages for any additional controls that you defined by specifying a child dialog template. The hook procedure does not receive messages intended for the standard controls of the default dialog box.
lpTemplateName
Type: LPCTSTR
The name of the dialog template resource in the module identified by the hInstance member. For numbered dialog box resources, this can be a value returned by the MAKEINTRESOURCE macro. This member is ignored unless the OFN_ENABLETEMPLATE flag is set in the Flags member. If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is set, the system uses the specified template to create a dialog box that is a child of the default Explorer-style dialog box. If the OFN_EXPLORER flag is not set, the system uses the template to create an old-style dialog box that replaces the default dialog box.
lpEditInfo
This member is conditionally compiled (using #ifdef _MAC
) so that it is applicable only to Motorola 68K Macintosh computers, and not to Windows client operating systems.
lpstrPrompt
This member is conditionally compiled (using #ifdef _MAC
) so that it is applicable only to Motorola 68K Macintosh computers, and not to Windows client operating systems.
pvReserved
Type: void*
This member is reserved.
dwReserved
Type: DWORD
This member is reserved.
FlagsEx
Type: DWORD
A set of bit flags you can use to initialize the dialog box. Currently, this member can be zero or the following flag.
For compatibility reasons, the Places Bar is hidden if Flags is set to OFN_ENABLEHOOK and lStructSize is OPENFILENAME_SIZE_VERSION_400.
Note
The commdlg.h header defines OPENFILENAME as an alias that automatically selects the ANSI or Unicode version of this function based on the definition of the UNICODE preprocessor constant. Mixing usage of the encoding-neutral alias with code that is not encoding-neutral can lead to mismatches that result in compilation or runtime errors. For more information, see Conventions for Function Prototypes.
Requirement | Value |
---|---|
Minimum supported client | Windows 2000 Professional [desktop apps only] |
Minimum supported server | Windows 2000 Server [desktop apps only] |
Header | commdlg.h (include Windows.h) |
Conceptual
Other Resources
Reference
Events
Nov 19, 11 PM - Nov 21, 11 PM
Gain the competitive edge you need with powerful AI and Cloud solutions by attending Microsoft Ignite online.
Register now