FileOpenPicker Class

Definition

Represents a UI element that lets the user choose and open files.

In a desktop app, before using an instance of this class in a way that displays UI, you'll need to associate the object with its owner's window handle. For more info, and code examples, see Display WinRT UI objects that depend on CoreWindow.

public ref class FileOpenPicker sealed
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Activatable(65536, Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract)]
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract, 65536)]
class FileOpenPicker final
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract, 65536)]
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Activatable(65536, "Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract")]
class FileOpenPicker final
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract, 65536)]
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Activatable(65536, "Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract")]
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.MarshalingBehavior(Windows.Foundation.Metadata.MarshalingType.Agile)]
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Threading(Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ThreadingModel.Both)]
class FileOpenPicker final
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Activatable(65536, typeof(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract))]
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(typeof(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract), 65536)]
public sealed class FileOpenPicker
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(typeof(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract), 65536)]
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Activatable(65536, "Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract")]
public sealed class FileOpenPicker
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(typeof(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract), 65536)]
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Activatable(65536, "Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract")]
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.MarshalingBehavior(Windows.Foundation.Metadata.MarshalingType.Agile)]
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Threading(Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ThreadingModel.Both)]
public sealed class FileOpenPicker
function FileOpenPicker()
Public NotInheritable Class FileOpenPicker
Inheritance
Object Platform::Object IInspectable FileOpenPicker
Attributes

Windows requirements

Device family
Windows 10 (introduced in 10.0.10240.0)
API contract
Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract (introduced in v1.0)

Examples

The File picker sample demonstrates how to check whether the app is snapped, how to set file picker properties, and how to show a file picker so that the user can pick one file.

FileOpenPicker openPicker = new FileOpenPicker();
openPicker.ViewMode = PickerViewMode.Thumbnail;
openPicker.SuggestedStartLocation = PickerLocationId.PicturesLibrary;
openPicker.FileTypeFilter.Add(".jpg");
openPicker.FileTypeFilter.Add(".jpeg");
openPicker.FileTypeFilter.Add(".png");

StorageFile file = await openPicker.PickSingleFileAsync();
if (file != null)
{
    // Application now has read/write access to the picked file
    OutputTextBlock.Text = "Picked photo: " + file.Name;
}
else
{
    OutputTextBlock.Text = "Operation cancelled.";
}
// Create the picker object and set options
var openPicker = new Windows.Storage.Pickers.FileOpenPicker();
openPicker.viewMode = Windows.Storage.Pickers.PickerViewMode.thumbnail;
openPicker.suggestedStartLocation = Windows.Storage.Pickers.PickerLocationId.picturesLibrary;
// Users expect to have a filtered view of their folders depending on the scenario.
// For example, when choosing a documents folder, restrict the filetypes to documents for your application.
openPicker.fileTypeFilter.replaceAll([".png", ".jpg", ".jpeg"]);

// Open the picker for the user to pick a file
openPicker.pickSingleFileAsync().then(function (file) {
    if (file) {
        // Application now has read/write access to the picked file
        WinJS.log && WinJS.log("Picked photo: " + file.name, "sample", "status");
    } else {
        // The picker was dismissed with no selected file
        WinJS.log && WinJS.log("Operation cancelled.", "sample", "status");
    }
});
internal bool EnsureUnsnapped()
{
    // FilePicker APIs will not work if the application is in a snapped state.
    // If an app wants to show a FilePicker while snapped, it must attempt to unsnap first
    bool unsnapped = ((ApplicationView.Value != ApplicationViewState.Snapped) || ApplicationView.TryUnsnap());
    if (!unsnapped)
    {
        NotifyUser("Cannot unsnap the sample.", NotifyType.StatusMessage);
    }

    return unsnapped;
}

Note

You should always make sure that your app is not snapped (or that it can be unsnapped) and set file picker properties regardless of whether the user is picking a single file or multiple files.

IReadOnlyList<StorageFile> files = await openPicker.PickMultipleFilesAsync();
if (files.Count > 0)
{
    StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder("Picked files:\n");
    // Application now has read/write access to the picked file(s)
    foreach (StorageFile file in files)
    {
        output.Append(file.Name + "\n");
    }
    OutputTextBlock.Text = output.ToString();
}
else
{
    OutputTextBlock.Text = "Operation cancelled.";
}
openPicker.pickMultipleFilesAsync().then(function (files) {
    if (files.size > 0) {
        // Application now has read/write access to the picked file(s)
        var outputString = "Picked files:\n";
        for (var i = 0; i < files.size; i++) {
            outputString = outputString + files[i].name + "\n";
        }
        WinJS.log && WinJS.log(outputString, "sample", "status");
    } else {
        // The picker was dismissed with no selected file
        WinJS.log && WinJS.log("Operation cancelled.", "sample", "status");
    }
});

Remarks

To get started accessing files and folders file picker, see Quickstart: Accessing files with File Pickers.

For information about how to use this API outside of UWP apps, see Call interop APIs from a .NET app.

Version history

Windows version SDK version Value added
1903 18362 CreateForUser
1903 18362 User

Constructors

FileOpenPicker()

Creates a new instance of a FileOpenPicker.

In a desktop app, before using an instance of this class in a way that displays UI, you'll need to associate the object with its owner's window handle. For more info, and code examples, see Display WinRT UI objects that depend on CoreWindow.

Properties

CommitButtonText

Gets or sets the label text of the file open picker's commit button.

ContinuationData

Gets a set of values to be populated by the app before PickSingleFileAndContinue or PickMultipleFilesAndContinue operation that deactivates the app in order to provide context when the app is activated. (Windows Phone 8.x app)

FileTypeFilter

Gets the collection of file types that the file open picker displays.

SettingsIdentifier

Gets or sets the settings identifier associated with the state of the file open picker.

SuggestedStartLocation

Gets or sets the initial location where the file open picker looks for files to present to the user.

User

Gets info about the user for which the FileOpenPicker was created. Use this property for multi-user applications.

ViewMode

Gets or sets the view mode that the file open picker uses to display items.

Methods

CreateForUser(User)

Creates a FileOpenPicker that is scoped to the personal directory of the specified user. Use this method for multi-user applications.

PickMultipleFilesAndContinue()

Obsolete as of Windows 10; use PickSingleFolderAsync instead. Shows the file picker so that the user can pick multiple files, deactivating and the app and reactivating it when the operation is complete. (Windows Phone 8.x app)

PickMultipleFilesAsync()

Shows the file picker so that the user can pick multiple files. (UWP app)

PickSingleFileAndContinue()

Shows the file picker so that the user can pick one file, potentially deactivating the app and reactivating it when the operation is complete. (Windows Phone 8.x app)

PickSingleFileAsync()

Shows the file picker so that the user can pick one file.

PickSingleFileAsync(String)

Shows the file picker so that the user can pick one file.

ResumePickSingleFileAsync()

Resumes the picking operation to retrieve the user-selected file if the user navigates away from the app after the picker operation has completed and the app is suspended.

Applies to

See also