SYSTEM-DIALOG GET-DIR statement

(Windows only)

Displays a dialog box that allows the user to enter a directory name that is assigned to a character variable. The SYSTEM-DIALOG GET-DIR statement provides a dialog box appropriate to the environment in which it runs.

Syntax

SYSTEM-DIALOG GET-DIR character-field 
  [ INITIAL-DIR directory-string ]
  [ RETURN-TO-START-DIR ] 
  [ TITLE title-string ]

character-field

The character field or variable that contains the directory name the user enters. The user can enter the directory name by typing it or selecting it from a list of directories in the common dialog directory. The user confirms the entry and completes the dialog by choosing the OK button. The user can interrupt the dialog without any selection by choosing the Cancel button. The directory name can contain Unicode characters. See OpenEdge Development: Internationalizing Applications for more information about Unicode.

INITIAL-DIR directory-string

Sets the starting directory for this invocation of SYSTEM-DIALOG GET-DIR to the pathname specified in directory-string before starting the dialog. The directory-string is a character expression that must evaluate to a valid pathname in your environment. The default starting directory is either the current working directory or the directory left from the last invocation of SYSTEM-DIALOG GET-DIR. The directory name can contain Unicode characters.

RETURN-TO-START-DIR

This option resets the current directory to the starting directory when the common dialog ends. This is the directory specified by the INITIAL-DIR option or the default starting directory.

If you do not specify this option, the directory remains set at the last directory referenced by the user. This directory becomes the default initial directory for subsequent invocations of SYSTEM-DIALOG GET-DIR. This option also has no effect on subsequent invocations that specify the INITIAL-DIR option.

TITLE title-string

Specifies a title for the dialog box. The value title-string can be any character expression. If you do not specify a title, the dialog uses the system default for your environment.

Notes

• The default common dialog directory for the initial invocation of SYSTEM-DIALOG GET-DIR is the current working directory. You can specify a different starting common dialog directory with the INITIAL-DIR option and the user can change the common dialog directory by referencing a different directory in the common dialog.
• The Windows common dialog never searches the PROPATH, and always returns the full pathname of the entered relative pathname appended to the current common dialog directory.