JFileChooser Dialogs

A common need is to prompt the user for a file -- either to open, or to create. This is the function of the JFileChooser dialog.

Opening a File

package swingExamples;

import java.io.File;
import javax.swing.JFileChooser;

public class ChooseFile
{
  public static void main(String[] args)
  {
    JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
    fileChooser.setCurrentDirectory( 
                  new File(".") // Current directory
                  );                                
    int result = fileChooser.showOpenDialog(
                  null  // parent component
                  );                        
    if (result == JFileChooser.CANCEL_OPTION)
    {
      System.out.println("You hit Cancel");
    }
    else if (result == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION)
    {
      System.out.println("You selected a file");
    }
  }
}

which produces the following dialog:

Saving a File

If you want to select a file for saving:

package swingExamples;

import java.io.File;
import javax.swing.JFileChooser;

public class SaveFile1
{
  public static void main(String[] args)
  {
    JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
    fileChooser.setCurrentDirectory(
                  new File(".") // Current directory
                  );
    int result = fileChooser.showSaveDialog(
                  null // parent component
                  );
    if (result == JFileChooser.CANCEL_OPTION)
    {
      System.out.println("You hit Cancel");
    }
    else if (result == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION)
    {
      System.out.println("You selected a file");
    }
  }
}

which produces:

Discovering What the User Selected

How do you discover what the user selected? Here's an example:

package swingExamples;

import java.io.File;
import javax.swing.JFileChooser;

public class SaveFile2
{
  public static void main(String[] args)
  {
    JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
    fileChooser.setCurrentDirectory(
                  new File(".") // Current directory
                  );
    int result = fileChooser.showSaveDialog(
                  null // parent component
                  );
    if (result == JFileChooser.CANCEL_OPTION)
    {
      System.out.println("You hit Cancel");
    }
    else if (result == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION)
    {
      System.out.println("You selected a file");
      File file = fileChooser.getSelectedFile();
      System.out.println(
          "File selected is: " + file.getAbsoluteFile());
    }
  }
}

which outputs the following, once the user has selected a file and clicked on the appropriate button:

You selected a file
File selected is: C:\...\Play\bleye.gif