JFileChooser select directory but show files

Question

I feel like there should be a simple way to do this but I can\'t figure it out. I have a JFileChooser that allows the user to select directories. I want to show all the file

Answer 1

Keep the fileChooser.setFileSelectionMode(JFileChooser.DIRECTORIES_ONLY) and use:

File[] selectedFiles = fileChooser.getSelectedFile().listFiles();

Answer 2

The solution of overriding approveSelection can be annoying for certain users.

Sometimes, a user would just click on a file in a directory for no reason (even though she wants to select the directory and not the file). If that happens, the user would be (kind-a) stuck in the JFileChooser as the approveSelection will fail, even if she deselects the file. To avoid this annoyance, this is what I do:

JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();

fileChooser.setFileSelectionMode(
        JFileChooser.FILES_AND_DIRECTORIES);

int option = fileChooser.showDialog(null,
        "Select Directory");

if (option == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
    File f = fileChooser.getSelectedFile();
    // if the user accidently click a file, then select the parent directory.
    if (!f.isDirectory()) {
        f = f.getParentFile();
    }
    System.out.println("Selected directory for import " + f);
}

Selecting the directory, even when the user selected a file results in a better usability in my opinion.

Answer 3

The JFileChooser supports three selection modes: files only, directories only, and files and directories. In your case what you need is :

JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
fileChooser.setFileSelectionMode(JFileChooser.FILES_AND_DIRECTORIES);

source : http://www.java2s.com/Tutorial/Java/0240__Swing/TheJFileChoosersupportsthreeselectionmodesfilesonlydirectoriesonlyandfilesanddirectories.htm

Answer 4

Override the approveSelection() method. Something like:

JFileChooser chooser = new JFileChooser( new File(".") )
{
    public void approveSelection()
    {
        if (getSelectedFile().isFile())
        {
            // beep
            return;
        }
        else
            super.approveSelection();
    }
};

Answer 5

My solution is a merge between the answers of camickr and trashgod:

    final JFileChooser chooser = new JFileChooser() {
            public void approveSelection() {
                if (getSelectedFile().isFile()) {
                    return;
                } else
                    super.approveSelection();
            }
    };
    chooser.setFileSelectionMode( JFileChooser.FILES_AND_DIRECTORIES );

Answer 6

Select Multiple Folders But Show All Included files

    import javax.swing.*;
    import java.io.File;
    import java.util.ArrayList;
    import java.util.Arrays;
    import java.util.Iterator;
    
    public class MultipleFilesAndDirectoryChooserButDisplayFiles {
        public static void main(String[] args) {
            ArrayList<File> tempFiles = new ArrayList<>();
            ArrayList<File> finalFiles = new ArrayList<>();
            ArrayList<String> relativeFiles = new ArrayList<>();
            JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
            fileChooser.setDialogTitle("Choose File To Transfer");
            fileChooser.setFileSelectionMode(JFileChooser.FILES_AND_DIRECTORIES);
            fileChooser.setMultiSelectionEnabled(true);
            int returnVal = fileChooser.showOpenDialog(null);
            fileChooser.approveSelection();
            if (returnVal == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
                fileChooser.approveSelection();
                var fileAddress = fileChooser.getSelectedFiles();
                for (var arrElement : fileAddress) {
                    tempFiles.add(arrElement);
                    File baseFile;
                    baseFile = arrElement.getParentFile();
                    Iterator<File> iterator = tempFiles.iterator();
                    while (iterator.hasNext()) {
                        File file = iterator.next();
                        if (file.isDirectory()) {
                            var enclosedFiles = file.listFiles();
                            if (enclosedFiles != null) {
                                if (enclosedFiles.length != 0) {
                                    var index = tempFiles.indexOf(file);
                                    tempFiles.remove(file);
                                    tempFiles.addAll(index, Arrays.asList(enclosedFiles));
                                    iterator = tempFiles.iterator();
                                } else {
                                    tempFiles.remove(file);
                                    finalFiles.add(file);
                                    relativeFiles.add(baseFile.toURI().relativize(file.toURI()).getPath());
                                    iterator = tempFiles.iterator();
                                }
                            }
                        } else if (file.isFile()) {
                            tempFiles.remove(file);
                            finalFiles.add(file);
                            relativeFiles.add(baseFile.toURI().relativize(file.toURI()).getPath());
                            iterator = tempFiles.iterator();
                        }
                    }
    
    
                }
                for (var relativeFile : relativeFiles) {
                    System.out.println(relativeFile);
    
                }
                for (var file : finalFiles) {
                    System.out.println(file);
                }
    
            }
        }
    }

Output:

• Folder1/EmptyFolder/

• Folder1/SubFolder1/1.1.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder1/1.2.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder1/1.3.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder1/SubFolder 1.1/1.1.1.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder1/SubFolder 1.1/1.2.1.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder1/SubFolder 1.1/1.3.1.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder2/2.1/2.1.1.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder2/2.1/2.1.2.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder2/2.1/2.1.3.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder3/3.1.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder3/3.2.txt

• Folder1/SubFolder3/3.3.txt

• Folder2/Sub Folder/2.1.txt

• Folder2/Sub Folder/EmptyFolder/

• file1.txt

• file2.txt

• E:\Folder1\EmptyFolder

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder1\1.1.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder1\1.2.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder1\1.3.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder1\SubFolder 1.1\1.1.1.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder1\SubFolder 1.1\1.2.1.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder1\SubFolder 1.1\1.3.1.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder2\2.1\2.1.1.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder2\2.1\2.1.2.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder2\2.1\2.1.3.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder3\3.1.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder3\3.2.txt

• E:\Folder1\SubFolder3\3.3.txt

• E:\Folder2\Sub Folder\2.1.txt

• E:\Folder2\Sub Folder\EmptyFolder

• E:\file1.txt

• E:\file2.txt