OpenFileDialog with Preview

[lrsmns]

Hi, i'm trying to implement a load family function in my plug-in. 
I was wondering if there is an existing OpenFileDialog from .NET or Revit API, which allows to have preview of the file?
Currently using it for Revit 2022

[lrsmns]

Ah nvm, I found the ShowPreview property in FileOpenDialog 🙂

[lrsmns]

Though my next question would be, would it be possible to set an initial directory with FileOpenDialog?

[Mohamed_Arshad]

Hi @lrsmns 

    you can't able to set default location in FileOpenDialog, It will take recent file location as default location. Kindly check the below image and link for additional reference.

Reference Image

URL: https://www.revitapidocs.com/2024/efe4f212-6400-eaec-9263-1665ba9c163f.htm#:~:text=The%20folder%20lo... 

Hope this will Helps 🙂

[lrsmns]

yes unfortunately there is no option to do so then.. would have been nice to be able to set the initial directory. 
The OpenFileDialog from .NET has that option but with the old .NET framework it's not possible to show preview 😞

[Mohamed_Arshad]

Hi @lrsmns 

    Post it in Ideas page, So one day Revit API will expose the option

[Moustafa_K]

I think you can use the FileOpenDialog under Autodesk.Revit.UI

see this implementation:

Autodesk.Revit.UI.FileOpenDialog fd = new FileOpenDialog("rfa files|*.rfa");
fd.ShowPreview = true;
fd.Show();

[lrsmns]

Well the only issue is that the provided FileOpenDialog from Revit doesnt provide a property to set Initial Directory

[lrsmns]

Well the only issue is that the FileOpenDialog doesnt provide the property to set initial directory, which is also a requirement for my plug-in development