"Hyperlink" to initiate Open File Dialog at Specified Folder Location

[David_Prontnicki]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this, if not I will post the appropriate forum. I am looking to find a way via a text field to initiate the AutoCAD open file dialog to a specified folder location. 

I have found everything from lisps to macros, and all sorts of things to open a specific file, but I just want to initiate the open command. I have also found how to open the location in explorer, but not the open dialog... Diesel Expression?

Field

[CodeDing]

@David_Prontnicki

While I fully understand the desire to make processes easier for your team / customers, it also took me a while to realize that NOT EVERYTHING should be made so simple when there is already a process / command that exists for such "shortcuts".

What I'm getting at, is that it should be just as easy (if not easier) for your CAD operator to click the "OPEN" icon or run the OPEN command, than it is for them to click a hyperlink to open the Open File Dialog. What energy are we REALLY saving here?

I can understand if you want the hyperlink to open a SPECIFIC DRAWING, but I do not understand the desire to merely open the Open File Dialog.

Does that make sense? Have i misunderstood your desired workflow?

Best,

~DD

[pbejse]

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@David_Prontnicki wrote:

I have also found how to open the location in explorer, but not the open dialog... 

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Is the open dialog necessary? you can try hyperlink ?

Oops. that was the request 😁, sorry about that.

[john.uhden]

@David_Prontnicki 

Um, what's wrong with Ctrl+O?

Of course, FILEDIA should be set to 1 (on).

Actually, I despise navigating to find a file, so at work I built a c:LOOK function to save me hunting.

All our projects are in folders starting with the job number, e.g. 19201.Smith.Mantoloking or 21143.McDaid.Rumson or 22033.Hayes.Brick.  Naturally, I also built a Findfile (c:FF) function to bring up a dialog to select the town (or All), earliest year, wildcard file name and optional wildcard client name and give me a list of all dwgs that match, where I can sort by name or by date, pick one and open it.  Files with dates that show up as "??/??/????" are in use.

So I enter the LOOK command, enter a job number and it invokes Explorer to the correct folder on the server.  Then I can select the file I want and just double-click it.