CODEWITHSUNDEEP
vb.netvisual-studio
Eric De Vault
Eric De Vault

Reputation: 53

Open Folder Path if not already open, if open show window

This seems like a simple task but I cannot seem to produce the results looking for.

currently I have this code 

 Dim folderpath As String

Private Sub Button4_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button4.Click
    folderpath = "C:\epds\WIP"
    Process.Start("explorer.exe", folderpath)

End Sub

That's fine and it opens my folder path as indicated, however, if the instance of that folder is already open in the explorer how do I just make that window current instead of opening a new window explorer?

EDIT: This seemed to do the trick, thanks for pointing me in the right direction @Okuma.Scott

<DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
Private Shared Function FindWindow( _
  ByVal lpClassName As String, _
  ByVal lpWindowName As String) As IntPtr
End Function

<DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint:="FindWindow", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
Private Shared Function FindWindowByClass( _
  ByVal lpClassName As String, _
  ByVal zero As IntPtr) As IntPtr
End Function

<DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint:="FindWindow", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
Private Shared Function FindWindowByCaption( _
  ByVal zero As IntPtr, _
  ByVal lpWindowName As String) As IntPtr
End Function

Dim folderpath As String

Private Sub Button4_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button4.Click
    folderpath = "C:\epds\WIP"
    'Process.Start("explorer.exe", folderpath)
    Dim nWnd As IntPtr
    Dim ceroIntPtr As New IntPtr(0)
    Dim Wnd_name As String

    Wnd_name = "WIP"
    nWnd = FindWindow(Nothing, Wnd_name)
    'show the info
    If nWnd.Equals(ceroIntPtr) Then
        Process.Start("explorer.exe", folderpath)
    Else
        AppActivate(Wnd_name)
        SendKeys.SendWait("~")
    End If


End Sub

Upvotes: 3

Views: 5980

Answers (3)

Raj Rao
Raj Rao

Reputation: 9138

This works and will not open multiple windows:

Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo() { FileName = "C:\\", UseShellExecute = true });

The only downside is that it does not bring the opened folder to the foreground (which depending on your use case may or may not be a bad thing!

Upvotes: 0

PKanold
PKanold

Reputation: 148

I was trying to solve this same issue and discovered that it seems to work by just calling Process.Start with the desired path:

Process.Start("C:\Temp")

If the folder is already open in an Explorer window it opens the existing window otherwise it opens a new window.

Upvotes: 3

Creator
Creator

Reputation: 1512

you need to import Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

then you can use the function Findwindow

<DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
Private Shared Function FindWindow(ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As IntPtr
End Function

Then make 2 dims 1. folderpath and 2 is foldername
Then in your click event use "System.IO.Path.GetFileName(folderpath)" to get the name of the window you are looking for." for you WIP"

Then check with a if statement if FindWindow(vbNullString, foldername) = 0 "not open"

The vbNullString Represents a zero-length string for print and display functions, and for calling external procedures."msdn"

so if findwindow is 0 open the folder and else focus the folder

Dim folderpath As String
Dim foldername As String

Private Sub Button4_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button4.Click
    folderpath = "C:\epds\WIP"
    foldername = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(folderpath)
    If FindWindow(vbNullString, foldername) = 0 Then
        Process.Start("explorer.exe", folderpath)
    Else
        AppActivate(foldername)
        SendKeys.SendWait("~")
    End If
End Sub

Upvotes: 1

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