How to get combo box to show .exe files and not full path

[Joshyb]

Apologies in advance I am very new to all this and working on my first project. I am trying to get the exe filename only to show and not the full path to it. for example doom.exe. Thanks in advance.

This is what I have so far

    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim directory = "D:\Steam Library"
        Dim files() As System.IO.FileInfo
        Dim dirinfo As New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(directory)
        files = dirinfo.GetFiles("*.exe", IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories)

        For Each file In files
            cmbSelectGame.Items.Add(file)


        Next

    End Sub

[OptionBase1]

You are working with an object of type System.IO.FileInfo.

Google search for that, and you will find the Microsoft documentation all about System.IO.FileInfo, and you should be able to find an appropriate Property that gives you the result you are looking for.

It might seem rude for me to not just tell you the answer, but learning to find answers yourself will be much more valuable for you in the long run.

Good luck.

[Joshyb]

You are working with an object of type System.IO.FileInfo.

Google search for that, and you will find the Microsoft documentation all about System.IO.FileInfo, and you should be able to find an appropriate Property that gives you the result you are looking for.

It might seem rude for me to not just tell you the answer, but learning to find answers yourself will be much more valuable for you in the long run.

Good luck.

Thank you will search it up now

[jmcilhinney]

Also, don't add items in a loop like that. At the very least, add all items in one go with a single call to AddRange. Better still, bind the data by setting the DisplayMember, ValueMember and DataSource properties. That way, you can display the file names but, when the user selects one, get the full path from the SelectedValue. I'm not sure exactly what you want to do with the selection but, in most cases, you're going to need the full path of a file to do anything useful.

[Joshyb]

You are working with an object of type System.IO.FileInfo.

Google search for that, and you will find the Microsoft documentation all about System.IO.FileInfo, and you should be able to find an appropriate Property that gives you the result you are looking for.

It might seem rude for me to not just tell you the answer, but learning to find answers yourself will be much more valuable for you in the long run.

Good luck.

took me long enough to work out to add.name after file but thank you for not giving me the answer

[OptionBase1]

took me long enough to work out to add.name after file but thank you for not giving me the answer

Becoming familiar with Microsoft's documentation is one of the most important things any VB.NET developer can do. Good luck.

[Joshyb]

I am making a games launcher so was searching for the .exe files however it is pulling all the exe files so man need to look at another option.

I have Dim directory = "D:\Steam Library" but i want this to be generated whats in a textbox from a folderbrowserdialog. struggling with this one.

[OptionBase1]

If your TextBox is named PathTextBox,

Dim directory As String
directory = PathTextBox.Text

To populate PathTextBox.Text with the folder selected from a FolderBrowserDialog, take a look at the documentation below to find the appropriate property to use:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...g?view=net-5.0

Good luck.

[Joshyb]

If your TextBox is named PathTextBox,

Dim directory As String
directory = PathTextBox.Text

To populate PathTextBox.Text with the folder selected from a FolderBrowserDialog, take a look at the documentation below to find the appropriate property to use:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...g?view=net-5.0

Good luck.

thanks, i can get it to populate into a text box and save but i cant get it to auto complete Dim directory = "***D:\Steam Library\steamapps\common*****"

[dday9]

To get the directory that the picked in the FolderBrowserDialog, use the SelectedPath property: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...g.selectedpath

From here you can optionally set the TextBox's Text property: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...s.textbox.text

Finally, you can set the ComboBox's DataSource (documentation), DisplayMember (documentation), and ValueMember (documentation).

With all of that being said, here is an example:

Using browseDialog = New FolderBrowserDialog()
    If (browseDialog.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.Ok) Then
        MyTextBox.Text = browseDialog.SelectedPath


        Dim selectedDirectory = New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(browseDialog.SelectedPath)
        With MyComboBox
            .DisplayMember = "Name"
            .ValueMember = "FullName"
            .DataSource = selectedDirectory.GetFiles("*.exe", IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories)
        End With
    End If
End Using

[Joshyb]

To get the directory that the picked in the FolderBrowserDialog, use the SelectedPath property: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...g.selectedpath

From here you can optionally set the TextBox's Text property: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...s.textbox.text

Finally, you can set the ComboBox's DataSource (documentation), DisplayMember (documentation), and ValueMember (documentation).

With all of that being said, here is an example:

Using browseDialog = New FolderBrowserDialog()
    If (browseDialog.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.Ok) Then
        MyTextBox.Text = browseDialog.SelectedPath


        Dim selectedDirectory = New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(browseDialog.SelectedPath)
        With MyComboBox
            .DisplayMember = "Name"
            .ValueMember = "FullName"
            .DataSource = selectedDirectory.GetFiles("*.exe", IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories)
        End With
    End If
End Using

Thank you very much!

[jmcilhinney]

Thank you very much!

That's exactly what I implying in post #4 that you apparently ignored.

[Joshyb]

That's exactly what I implying in post #4 that you apparently ignored.

Apologies I wasn't ignoring, I didn't fully understand. Like I say this is the first time ive done anything like this.

[Joshyb]

To get the directory that the picked in the FolderBrowserDialog, use the SelectedPath property: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...g.selectedpath

From here you can optionally set the TextBox's Text property: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...s.textbox.text

Finally, you can set the ComboBox's DataSource (documentation), DisplayMember (documentation), and ValueMember (documentation).

With all of that being said, here is an example:

Using browseDialog = New FolderBrowserDialog()
    If (browseDialog.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.Ok) Then
        MyTextBox.Text = browseDialog.SelectedPath


        Dim selectedDirectory = New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(browseDialog.SelectedPath)
        With MyComboBox
            .DisplayMember = "Name"
            .ValueMember = "FullName"
            .DataSource = selectedDirectory.GetFiles("*.exe", IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories)
        End With
    End If
End Using

This worked for when using the browse folder button however I want the user to be able to save the steam library path and be able to select the game from launch game combo box. When user loads back in they have to select browse again. Not sure if my idea is possible or where I would start. Ill add a photo of the project below to see how I have set it up. Thanks.

[dday9]

You can create a setting: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...ettings-object

Once the user picks the folder using the dialog, you would add an extra step in the code that I provided where you persist the setting value: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...-user-settings

Finally in the form load event, you would get the setting value and basically run the same code that I already provided: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...ation-settings