mathes
asked on
remembering the work directory
Hi experts,
I coded an application which contains a dialogue which prompts the user for a filename where the new input will be stored. My problem is that my program by default always suggests the same specific directory where the files will be stored. This can be very annoying for the user, if he wants to choose another directory for his personal files. He always has to jump from the default directory to his desired directory. And if the user saves 10 files during one session, he always has to browse through many folders....
Well, you will agree with me that this situation is not very user friendly.
Can you please tell me an elegant way how I can remember the preferred directory during one session?
I coded an application which contains a dialogue which prompts the user for a filename where the new input will be stored. My problem is that my program by default always suggests the same specific directory where the files will be stored. This can be very annoying for the user, if he wants to choose another directory for his personal files. He always has to jump from the default directory to his desired directory. And if the user saves 10 files during one session, he always has to browse through many folders....
Well, you will agree with me that this situation is not very user friendly.
Can you please tell me an elegant way how I can remember the preferred directory during one session?
even better:
var ini: TiniFile;
path: String;
begin
ini := TInifile.Create('setting.i
path := ini.ReadString('SETTINGS',
SaveDialog1.InitialDir := path;
if SaveDialog1.Execute then
begin
ini.WriteString('SETTINGS'
ini.Free;
//your code here
end else
ini.Free;
end;
This way, you make sure the entry in the ini file is always updated...
Cheers,
Oli
var ini: TiniFile;
path: String;
begin
ini := TInifile.Create('setting.i
path := ini.ReadString('SETTINGS',
SaveDialog1.InitialDir := path;
if SaveDialog1.Execute then
begin
ini.WriteString('SETTINGS'
ini.Free;
//your code here
end else
ini.Free;
end;
This way, you make sure the entry in the ini file is always updated...
Cheers,
Oli
it's easier to use registry Tregistry component
ASKER
Hi experts,
thank you so far for your input. Your suggestions are interesting, but they have one downside: This solution in my opinion is not very flexible. The preferred dirctory may change from day to day, or even from session to session, within a few hours or minutes. The ide with the ini file only works perfectly if the work directory is always the same.
Is it possible to implement a "temporary" solution, where the work dir is determined during runtime?
thank you so far for your input. Your suggestions are interesting, but they have one downside: This solution in my opinion is not very flexible. The preferred dirctory may change from day to day, or even from session to session, within a few hours or minutes. The ide with the ini file only works perfectly if the work directory is always the same.
Is it possible to implement a "temporary" solution, where the work dir is determined during runtime?
you can change the inifile any time
In my second example code,
the last-used path gets stored and used next time when the SaveDialog is executed.
So I don't get your point "if the work directory is always the same" at all... Did I miss something?
I don't really agree in "using TRegistry is easier".
It sure needs more lines of code and if the user deletes the program, the info stays inside the registry forever.
Regards,
Oli
the last-used path gets stored and used next time when the SaveDialog is executed.
So I don't get your point "if the work directory is always the same" at all... Did I miss something?
I don't really agree in "using TRegistry is easier".
It sure needs more lines of code and if the user deletes the program, the info stays inside the registry forever.
Regards,
Oli
I think, perhaps, that mathes may be looking for a sort of "disposable" dir the he needs to remember for a bit. I don't have access to the help files here, but I know there's a getTempFileName function - there's prob. a getTempDirectoryName, or something similar, too.
OTOH, a quick search of the msdn does not reveal such a function. You could, however, call getTempFileName, delete the resulting file - keeping the fileName, and then create a dir of that name.
GL
Mike
OTOH, a quick search of the msdn does not reveal such a function. You could, however, call getTempFileName, delete the resulting file - keeping the fileName, and then create a dir of that name.
GL
Mike
Hello
try to use HistoryList, to open last folder you were in
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender
begin
SaveDialog1.InitialDir := SaveDialog1.HistoryList.Co
if SaveDialog1.Execute then
begin
// place ur code here
end;
end;
Best regards
Mohammed Nasman
try to use HistoryList, to open last folder you were in
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender
begin
SaveDialog1.InitialDir := SaveDialog1.HistoryList.Co
if SaveDialog1.Execute then
begin
// place ur code here
end;
end;
Best regards
Mohammed Nasman
I am using Delphi 3 and just written a test program with one savedialog and one button, the following is my code for button's onclick event.
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender
begin
If SaveDialog1.Execute Then
Begin
//your code here.
End;
end;
It works just fine to remember the last folder I selected, no special code needed. So I think you maybe set the SaveDialog1.InitialDir path incorrectly in your code.
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender
begin
If SaveDialog1.Execute Then
Begin
//your code here.
End;
end;
It works just fine to remember the last folder I selected, no special code needed. So I think you maybe set the SaveDialog1.InitialDir path incorrectly in your code.
Sounds to me like it would be nice if you had your program store the last
few directories that were used for storage in a list and when the user wants
to save a new file show him the list so he can either choose from the list or
pick a new dir...if he picks a new one then put it onto the top of the list and drop
the last dir from the list (so it does not get too long) ... save the list to an ini
file or store it inside the exe.....no more browsing through directories and no
forgetting where you stored things yesterday or the day before :-)
few directories that were used for storage in a list and when the user wants
to save a new file show him the list so he can either choose from the list or
pick a new dir...if he picks a new one then put it onto the top of the list and drop
the last dir from the list (so it does not get too long) ... save the list to an ini
file or store it inside the exe.....no more browsing through directories and no
forgetting where you stored things yesterday or the day before :-)
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ASKER
Hi experts,
thank you all for your input. The solution of sburck fits best to my needs.
thank you all for your input. The solution of sburck fits best to my needs.
I'm sorry to say, but my solution is better,
because it does EXACTLY THE SAME as sburcks solution
(remembers and uses the last-used path) but does also store this information so it's still available after a restart of the program.
sburck's solution will loose the InitialDir information once the program is terminated.
I think the problem is you didn't understand at all what my code is doing...
Regards,
Oli
because it does EXACTLY THE SAME as sburcks solution
(remembers and uses the last-used path) but does also store this information so it's still available after a restart of the program.
sburck's solution will loose the InitialDir information once the program is terminated.
I think the problem is you didn't understand at all what my code is doing...
Regards,
Oli
var ini: TiniFile;
path: String;
begin
ini := TInifile.Create('setting.i
path := ini.ReadString('SETTINGS',
ini.Free;
OpenDialog1.InitialDir := path;
if OpenDialog1.Execute then
begin
//your code here
end;
end;
Regards,
Oli