JDK-6927978 : Directory Selection standard dialog support
  • Type: Enhancement
  • Component: client-libs
  • Sub-Component: java.awt
  • Affected Version: 7
  • Priority: P3
  • Status: Open
  • Resolution: Unresolved
  • OS: generic,os_x
  • CPU: generic,x86
  • Submitted: 2010-02-19
  • Updated: 2021-07-13
Related Reports
Relates :  
JDK-7125172 - FileDialog objects don't allow directory AND files selection simultaneously
Relates :  
JDK-7161437 - [macosx] awt.FileDialog doesn't respond appropriately for mac when selecting folders
Description
Some native systems (eg. Windows, GTK) have a standard dialog that supports directory selection. However, the java.awt.FileDialog supports selecting files only.

There needs to be either a new class (like DirectoryDialog), or an additional mode introduced to the FileDialog.
CAP member had requested the same feature through recent JDK 7 CAP program survey:

FileDialog still lacks two important features for a file and image centric desktop application:

* Missing the ability to set the FileDialog to select directories only

* Missing the ability to set the FileDialog to "Thumbnail view mode". 

This is very important as our application deals with images. 
Please address these two issues and we will be happy with JDK/JRE7. 
If these features are not supported by a certain underlaying platform, so be it. 

In such cases we can revert to a Swing JFileChooser instead. 

By having an "isXYZsupported() method the developer can make a smart choice.
Comments
- this is an issue reported against 7(7u), - there are now affected version 9 filed for this issue - 7u issues are transferred to Sustaining Nevertheless if someone have a report against 9 - please reopen and add affectedVersion 9 or 7u specific escalations might be reopen to Sustaining
10-08-2014
- this is an issue reported against 7(7u), - there are now affected version 9 filed for this issue - 7u issues are transferred to Sustaining Nevertheless if someone have a report against 9 - please reopen and add affectedVersion 9 or 7u specific escalations might be reopen to Sustaining
10-08-2014
EVALUATION Lots of people requests this feature on the mac. So it would be good to implement it in 7u8 time frame.
29-05-2012
EVALUATION The fix covering XToolkit (both for systems with GTK libraries, and w/o them) is available at: http://cr.openjdk.java.net/~anthony/7-45-DirectoryDialog-6927978.1/ The MS Windows implementation is currently pending.
11-10-2010