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Synopsis

fileBrowserDialog [-actionName string] [-dialogStyle int] [-fileCommand script] [-fileType string] [-filterList string] [-includeName string] [-mode int] [-operationMode string] [-tipMessage string] [-windowTitle string]

fileBrowserDialog is undoable, NOT queryable, and NOT editable.

The fileBrowserDialog and fileDialog commands have now been deprecated. Both commands are still callable, but it is recommended that the fileDialog2 command be used instead. To maintain some backwards compatibility, both fileBrowserDialog and fileDialog will convert the flags/values passed to them into the appropriate flags/values that the fileDialog2 command uses and will call that command internally. It is not guaranteed that this compatibility will be able to be maintained in future versions so any new scripts that are written should use fileDialog2. See below for an example of how to change a script to use fileDialog2.

Return value

string

Flags

actionName, dialogStyle, fileCommand, fileType, filterList, includeName, mode, operationMode, tipMessage, windowTitle
Long name (short name) Argument types Properties
-mode(-m) int create
Defines the mode in which to run the file brower:
  • 0 for read
  • 1 for write
  • 2 for write without paths (segmented files)
  • 4 for directories have meaning when used with the action
+100 for returning short names
-fileCommand(-fc) script create
The script to run on command action
-fileType(-ft) string create
Set the type of file to filter. By default this can be any one of: "mayaAscii", "mayaBinary", "mel", "OBJ", "directory", "plug-in", "audio", "move", "EPS", "Illustrator", "image".
plug-ins may define their own types as well.
-actionName(-an) string create
Script to be called when the file is validated.
-operationMode(-om) string create
Enables the option dialog. Valid strings are:
  • "Import"
  • "Reference"
  • "SaveAs"
  • "ExportAll"
  • "ExportActive"
-includeName(-in) string create
Include the given string after the actionName in parentheses. If the name is too long, it will be shortened to fit on the dialog (for example, /usr/alias/commands/scripts/fileBrowser.mel might be shortened to /usr/...pts/fileBrowser.mel)
-dialogStyle(-ds) int create
  • 0 for old style dialog
  • 1 for Windows 2000 style Explorer style
  • 2 for Explorer style with "Shortcut" tip at bottom
-filterList(-fl) string createmultiuse
Specify file filters. Used with dialog style 1 and 2. Each string should be a description followed by a comma followed by a semi-colon separated list of file extensions with wildcard.
-tipMessage(-tm) string create
Message to be displayed at the bottom of the style 2 dialog box.
-windowTitle(-wt) string create
Set the window title of a style 1 or 2 dialog box
Flag can appear in Create mode of command Flag can appear in Edit mode of command
Flag can appear in Query mode of command Flag can be used more than once in a command.

MEL examples

// fileBrowserDialog accepted a callback, using the -fileCommand flag, that the
// dialog itself would call with the name of the chosen file.
//
// The biggest difference between this and fileDialog2 is that fileDialog2
// returns an array of chosen files or folders and your script operates on that.
//
// Old way:
global proc int importImage( string $filename, string $fileType )
{
    file -import $filename;
    return 1;
}


fileBrowserDialog -m 0 -fc "importImage" -ft "image" -an "Import_Image" -om "Import";

//
// Recommended way:
string $filename[] = `fileDialog2 -fileMode 1 -caption "Import Image"`;
if (1 == `size($filename)`)
{
    importImage($filename[0], "");
}