Скачать или смотреть Solving the Issue with OpenFileDialog.DereferenceLinks in C#

Discover how to effectively use `OpenFileDialog.DereferenceLinks` to get the target path of executable files from shortcuts in WPF applications.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/67979277/ asked by the user 'bob strumboli' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/16228176/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/67982060/ provided by the user 'Rekshino' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/7713750/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Understanding the Challenge with OpenFileDialog.DereferenceLinks

If you're walking through the development of a WPF application in C# , you might come across an interesting challenge: obtaining the target path of an executable from its shortcut file. Specifically, you might try to leverage the OpenFileDialog.DereferenceLinks property, only to find it's not yielding the results you expect.

In this post, we'll explore the reasons why your current usage might not be functioning as intended and provide a straightforward solution to help you retrieve those executable paths seamlessly.

The Scenario

You have a use case where you need to select either a shortcut file (.lnk) or an executable file (.exe) from the user's desktop through an OpenFileDialog. You set the DereferenceLinks property to true in hopes that it would automatically point to the target of the shortcut you select. Instead, your application returns file information still referring to the shortcut itself, leading to confusion and debugging efforts.

The Sample Code

Here's what your code might look like at first glance:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

When running this code and selecting a shortcut, your debugger outputs reveal that you're still getting the shortcut's properties rather than the desired executable file's properties.

The Solution: Adjusting the File Filter

The key issue here lies within the filter string you're using. By including [.lnk] files ("Executable or Shortcut (*.exe, *.lnk) | *.exe; *.lnk"), the OpenFileDialog is limited to showing both types of files. However, this is what prevents the dereferencing behavior you expect.

Updated Code

The fix involves changing the filter to exclude .lnk files from the list presented to the user:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

By making this adjustment, you allow the file dialog to focus specifically on executable files only. You can still select shortcut files, and by setting DereferenceLinks to true, the FileName property will point to the target executable instead of the shortcut file itself.

Explanation of Changes

Filter Change: Changing the filter to allow only .exe files still permits you to select shortcuts, but ensures that the return type when a .lnk file is chosen undergoes the dereferencing process.

Dereference Behavior: With the DereferenceLinks property set to true, when you select a shortcut, it will now return the path of the executable it points to.

Conclusion

By adjusting your filter in the OpenFileDialog, DereferenceLinks can function as intended, allowing your application to properly resolve the target file paths from shortcuts. This approach streamlines your code and enhances user experience without any confounding behaviors.

When developing applications involving file selection dialogs in C# , small details like these can make a significant difference in functionality. Always remember to review your filters and other dialog settings as you troubleshoot similar issues in your projects.



With this understanding, you're now equipped to handle similar scenarios in your WPF applications with confidence!