ask for location of a file from user

[smal1378]

hello im writing an app on devcpp.
and i want to get location of a file from user and take it on a string
so i dont want to use "cin>>str" i want to show a dialog that user choose the
file from there.
thanks.

[Thomas1965]

Have a look here:
http://www.winprog.org/tutorial/app_two.html

[smal1378]

thanks that was what i want but i dont know how to use "getopenfilename()"
and when i add that to my codes my compiler dont compile app and get me a lot errors.!
thanks if you explain how do i use that.

[Thomas1965]

Here is an example how to use it. However to understand it you need to know a bit about Windows programming.

#include <windows.h>
#include <tchar.h>
#include <crtdbg.h>

void ShowOpenFileDialog (HWND hWnd)
{
  OPENFILENAME ofn;
  char szFileName[MAX_PATH] = "";

  ZeroMemory (&ofn, sizeof (ofn));

  ofn.lStructSize = sizeof (ofn); // SEE NOTE BELOW
  ofn.hwndOwner = hWnd;
  ofn.lpstrFilter = "Text Files (*.txt)\0*.txt\0All Files (*.*)\0*.*\0";
  ofn.lpstrFile = szFileName;
  ofn.nMaxFile = MAX_PATH;
  ofn.Flags = OFN_EXPLORER | OFN_FILEMUSTEXIST | OFN_HIDEREADONLY;
  ofn.lpstrDefExt = "txt";

  if (GetOpenFileName (&ofn))
  {
    ::MessageBoxA (0, szFileName, "Filename", MB_OK);
    // Do something usefull with the filename stored in szFileName 
  }
}

LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc (HWND hWnd, unsigned int msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
  switch (msg)
  {
    case WM_CREATE:
    {
      ShowOpenFileDialog (hWnd);
      return 0;
    }
    case WM_COMMAND:
    {
      return 0;
    }
    case WM_DESTROY:
    {
      PostQuitMessage (0);
      return 0;
    }
  }

  return (DefWindowProc (hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam));
}


int WINAPI WinMain (HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevIns, LPSTR lpszArgument, int iShow)
{
  TCHAR szClassName[] = _T("Template");
  TCHAR szWindowName[] = _T("OpenFileDialog Demo");
  WNDCLASSEX wc = { 0 };
  MSG messages;
  HWND hWnd;

  wc.lpszClassName = szClassName;
  wc.lpfnWndProc = WndProc;
  wc.cbSize = sizeof (WNDCLASSEX);
  wc.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)COLOR_BTNSHADOW;
  wc.hInstance = hInstance;
  
  _ASSERTE(RegisterClassEx (&wc) !=0);
  
  hWnd = CreateWindowEx (0, szClassName, szWindowName, WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, 
      CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, 
      HWND_DESKTOP, 0, hInstance, 0);
      
  _ASSERTE(::IsWindow(hWnd));
  
  ShowWindow (hWnd, iShow);
  while (GetMessage (&messages, NULL, 0, 0))
  {
    TranslateMessage (&messages);
    DispatchMessage (&messages);
  }

  return static_cast<int>(messages.wParam);
}

Here is a tutorial for beginner.
http://www.winprog.org/tutorial/start.html