Selecting multiple folders in a visual basic 6 application

Hi all,

Could someone please tell me what the best way is to present the user with a dialog box that can be used to select multiple folders?

I am creating a backup program which requires that the user can select the file(s) and folder(s) they wish to backup, these will then be added to a "files to backup" list box for user review.
I have managed to implement a multiple file selection system using the visual basic common dialog box controls (implemented using the API), but this does not allow for selection of multiple folders.
Even if this was possible, it would be difficult for the program to determine whether the user wishes to enter a folder or select it.
i have looked on this forum and others, but so far no luck.
Any help would be much appreciated.

Perhaps in listbox where its Multiselect is set to true?

The answer to that greatly depends on what control you have used to implement your file/folder list.
If you use the TreeView or the ListView as contained in 'Microsoft Common Controls 6.0' the answer is: use the .CheckBoxes property to allow checkboxes for each individual item. This is best to switch individual items on and off.
The CommonDialog is not suitable for the task. Although you can select multiple files, you can not select multiple folders. I'd suggest to populate a TreeView with the files and folders of a selected drive and use checkboxes for the selection of individual branches.
If you like to use the TreeView, I can give you a sample how to use it tomorrow.

Hi WoF,

Sorry for the late reply, i was away for a few weeks, got back a few days ago.

Yes please could you send me the code for the tree view?

What i wanted was a windows-explorer type interface with a list view and tree view.
I wanted them to be able to select multiple folders with the control+up and down arrows, but tree views do not allow selection of folders using this method.

I have actually ended up using drive and directory list boxes, with an "add folder" button, the user selects a folder and clicks add.
this seems to work ok - i use the common open dialog box for selecting multiple files.
but i would still be interested in the tree view code.

Thanks for the tip
Ryan Hutchings

Well, this sample shows how to fill a treeview with file and folder information of a given drive.
I have activated the checkbox feature for you to see how this works.
Certainly, you would have to expand the program. After having selected lots of folders with the checkboxes, you have to walk through all items and collect all checked foldernames.

Both the standard file browser dialog, as well as the folder browser allow multi-select. Just use those, and split the items. Here's an old sample.. (scroll down)

Code:

---

Option Explicit

' cdlCFPrinterFonts &H2

' Save File Options
'&H2 - Forces a warning before overwriting a file
'&H8 - Stops default directory from changing
'&H200 - more than one file can be selected.
'&H1000 - This makes it so the file must exist.
'&H2000 - This warns the user before creating a new file.

Private Sub cmdOpen_Click()
  ' CancelError is True.
  On Error GoTo ErrHandler
  CommonDialog1.InitDir = App.Path
  ' Set Flags
    CommonDialog1.Flags = cdlOFNAllowMultiselect Or cdlOFNLongNames
  ' Set filters.
  CommonDialog1.Filter = "All Files (*.*)|*.*|Text" & _
      "Files (*.txt)|*.txt|Batch Files (*.bat)|*.bat"
  '  CommonDialog1.Filter = "AutoForm Files (*.doc) (*.rtf)|*.doc;*.rtf|All " & _
          "Files (*.*)|*.*"
 
  ' Specify default filter.
  CommonDialog1.FilterIndex = 2 ' Default to TEXT
  ' Display the Open dialog box.
  CommonDialog1.ShowOpen
  ' Call the open file procedure.
 '  OpenFile (CommonDialog1.FileName)
  Debug.Print CommonDialog1.FileName
  Exit Sub

ErrHandler:
' User pressed Cancel button.
  Exit Sub

End Sub

Private Sub cmdShowColor_Click()
  ' Set Cancel to True
  CommonDialog1.CancelError = True
  On Error GoTo ErrHandler
  ' Set the Flags property
  CommonDialog1.Flags = cdlCFEffects Or cdlCFBoth
  ' Display the Font dialog box
  CommonDialog1.ShowColor
  rtb.BackColor = CommonDialog1.Color
  Exit Sub
ErrHandler:
  ' User pressed the Cancel button
  Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Sub cmdShowFont_Click()
  ' Set Cancel to True
  CommonDialog1.CancelError = True
  On Error GoTo ErrHandler
  ' Set the Flags property
  CommonDialog1.Flags = cdlCFEffects Or cdlCFBoth ' cdlCFPrinterFonts
  ' Display the Font dialog box
  CommonDialog1.ShowFont
  If rtb.SelLength = 0 Then
    rtb.SelStart = 0
    rtb.SelLength = Len(rtb.SelRTF)
  End If
  rtb.SelFontName = CommonDialog1.FontName
  rtb.SelFontSize = CommonDialog1.FontSize
  rtb.SelBold = CommonDialog1.FontBold
  rtb.SelItalic = CommonDialog1.FontItalic
  rtb.SelUnderline = CommonDialog1.FontUnderline
  rtb.SelStrikeThru = CommonDialog1.FontStrikethru
  rtb.SelColor = CommonDialog1.Color
  Exit Sub
ErrHandler:
  ' User pressed the Cancel button
  Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Sub cmdSaveFile_Click()
    Dim strFileName As String
    Dim ans As Integer
    CommonDialog1.Flags = &H2 ' Overwrite Flag
    CommonDialog1.Filter = "RTF|*.rtf|Text|*.txt"
    CommonDialog1.ShowSave
    On Error GoTo SaveProblems
    strFileName = CommonDialog1.FileName
    If CommonDialog1.FilterIndex = 1 Then
        CommonDialog1.DefaultExt = "rtf"
        rtb.SaveFile strFileName
    Else
        CommonDialog1.DefaultExt = "txt"
        rtb.SaveFile strFileName, rtfText
    End If
    Exit Sub
SaveProblems:
        MsgBox "Can’t save the file, try again.", vbCritical
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
  Label1.Caption = "Open File into RTB " & vbCrLf & _
                  "Save File from RTB" & vbCrLf & _
                  "Show Font" & vbCrLf & _
                  "Change selected text" & vbCrLf & _
                  "      or all text." & vbCrLf & _
                  "Show Color" & vbCrLf & _
                  "Change BackColor of RTB"
End Sub

Sub SaveMultipleFiles()
    Dim strOrigDir As String
    Dim strNewDir As String
    Dim varTemp As Variant
    Dim lngIdx As Long
        strNewDir = "D:\Temp\"
        With CommonDialog1
        .Flags = cdlOFNAllowMultiselect Or cdlOFNLongNames Or cdlOFNExplorer
        .ShowSave
        varTemp = Split(.FileName, vbNullChar)
    End With
        If IsArray(varTemp) Then
        If UBound(varTemp) = 0 Then
            FileCopy varTemp(lngIdx), strNewDir & Right$(varTemp(lngIdx), Len(varTemp(lngIdx)) - InStrRev(varTemp(lngIdx), "\"))
        Else
            strOrigDir = varTemp(0)
            For lngIdx = LBound(varTemp) + 1 To UBound(varTemp)
                FileCopy strOrigDir & "\" & varTemp(lngIdx), strNewDir & varTemp(lngIdx)
            Next
        End If
    End If
End Sub

---

Yes, true. You have to use the standard multi-select operations using shift and control keys.
But you can only select multiple folders in one specific folder. You can not include subfolders of one or more folders.
The tree solution allows you to check any number of folders in any level of subfolders.

Hm... I played with the MultiSelect of the CommonDialog, but it seems that you can NOT return folder names ...

If you mark some folders and click open, the first folder is opened but the name is not returned.
If you mark multiple filas AND folders, the dialog returns only the filenames. folder names are not part of the result.

Seems to me you can NOT use the CommonDialog to select multiple folders at all.

Thanks WoF,

i will look at your treeview sample.

My problem has been resolved - thanks to all who replied with suggestions.
Ryan

Ryan:

It would be helpful to others if you would tell us how your problem was resolved. Thanks.

im having the same problem here .. could someone pls help me out

aromalaryea: Please start a new thread as this thread is very very old

@HanneSThEGreaT: Alright thnx