.NET OpenFileDialog Limit

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I am trying to use the .NET OpenFileDialog to select upto 1100 files at one time (this is a requirement!).
When a certain sequence of files are selected (approximately 150-200 files) and the OK button is hit, the application crashes with a "Too many files selected. Please select fewer files" error message.

Looking on MSDN, I have seen that OpenFileDialog has a limit of 200 files. This does not make sense as I am able to select all 1100 files without any issues.

I have also read that the buffer assigned to contain the files isn't big enough but that it isn't possible to increase the buffer size?

Does anyone know the options I have to be able to selected upto 1100 in an OpenFileDialog or maybe using a different control?
:thumbsup:

[Removed c++ tag - Rajesh]

Posted 8-Dec-10 5:46am

Member 4523525

Updated 9-Dec-10 3:56am

Rajesh R Subramanian

v2

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[no name] 8-Dec-10 11:48am

No what doesn't make sense is why you are selecting 1100 files.

Richard MacCutchan 8-Dec-10 13:18pm

I agree with Mark, it makes no sense to use this dialog to select such a large number of files. I would suggest finding an alternative method of selecting the files that you need to process.

Kschuler 8-Dec-10 15:14pm

Maybe you should look at using the FolderBrowserDialog to select a folder instead of the individual files, and then perform whatever processing you are doing on all files in the folder.

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User 7429338 · Answer 1 · 2010-12-08T06:05:00

Solution 1

A good alternative could be to put all file names in a text file, and then accept that text file as your program's input.

Posted 8-Dec-10 6:05am

User 7429338

Updated 8-Dec-10 6:35am

v2

Comments

Member 4523525 9-Dec-10 11:02am

Thaddeus, before I get to the point where I can add the selected filenames to a text file, the form crashes out with the "Too many files selected" exception ( openfiledialog->ShowDialog() == ::DialogResult::OK ).

ARopo · Answer 2 · 2010-12-08T06:14:00

Solution 2

I found this thread, it suggests using the windows API GetOpenFileName, which you can change the size of unlike the .NET version.

http://www.dotnet247.com/247reference/msgs/17/86277.aspx[^]

Posted 8-Dec-10 6:14am

ARopo

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Member 4523525 9-Dec-10 11:02am

ARopo, I have looked down the route of using the CommonDialog but am having trouble trying to find out how to code this. My project is written in C++ in the .NET environment using c-code DLL's. Would it be easier to use the CommonDialog class or GetOpenFileName API?

Prerak Patel · Answer 3 · 2010-12-09T03:42:00

Solution 3

You should allow user to pick the directory. Then you list all the files and let them select as many files, there will not be any problem.

I am talking the same way as ftp clients are designed.
http://screenshots.en.softonic.com/en/scrn/40000/40069/3_fireftp1.jpg[^]

Posted 9-Dec-10 3:42am

Prerak Patel