QFileDialog for selecting a directory, and cross-platform

JonB

I want a QFileDialog for selecting an existing directory. I develop under Linux, but code must also run under Windows, and I don't have (refuse to have :) ) the app/Qt running under Windows.

I tried the simple QFileDialog::getExistingDirectory() (http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qfiledialog.html#getExistingDirectory). I found it did not fully respect some of the options I tried to pass in. I also got severely confused by the documentation there, especially to do with native dialogs and Windows behaviour. I also found several undesirable features in Linux native chooser. See my comments in code below.

So to cut a long story short, I think I'm best with an explicit instance implementation rather than the helper status function.

I have gone for (Python):

fileDialog = QtWidgets.QFileDialog(self, "Choose directory")
# directory only
fileDialog.setFileMode(QtWidgets.QFileDialog.DirectoryOnly)
# just list mode is quite sufficient for choosing a diectory
fileDialog.setViewMode(QtWidgets.QFileDialog.List)
# only want to to show directories
fileDialog.setOption(QtWidgets.QFileDialog.ShowDirsOnly)
# native dialog, at least under Ubuntu GNOME is a bit naff for choosing a directory
# (shows files but greyed out), so going for Qt's own cross-plaform chooser
fileDialog.setOption(QtWidgets.QFileDialog.DontUseNativeDialog)
# get rid of (or at least grey out) file-types selector
fileDialog.setOption(QtWidgets.QFileDialog.HideNameFilterDetails)
# DontResolveSymlinks seemingly recommended by http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qfiledialog.html#getExistingDirectory
# but I found it didn't make any difference (symlinks resolved anyway)
# fileDialog.setOption(QtWidgets.QFileDialog.DontResolveSymlinks)

if not fileDialog.exec_():
    return
dir = fileDialog.selectedFiles()[0]

This gives me an Ubuntu dialog:
alt text

(Most important) Would some kind soul confirm it will look/behave more or less like this under Windows too, please? (Also, if anything wrong/dubious/missing in my options/code let me know.)
(Just an observation, seemingly not vital) Qt docs seem to recommend/suggest option QFileDialog.DontResolveSymlinks, but I experimented with symlinks to directories and couldn't find any difference in behaviour/selection with it on or off. Anyone know specifically what this might/is supposed to do, am I fine without it?

TIA.

sierdzio

@JNBarchan said in QFileDialog for selecting a directory, and cross-platform:

(Most important) Would some kind soul confirm it will look/behave more or less like this under Windows too, please? (Also, if anything wrong/dubious/missing in my options/code let me know.)

Yes, the non-native dialog is the same on all platforms (except for the icons - these are more OS-dependent). Although last time I actually tried it out on Windows was ~5 years ago so I might be wrong here.

JonB

Thanks.

Before marking this thread Solved, anyone on:

2.(Just an observation, seemingly not vital) Qt docs seem to recommend/suggest option QFileDialog.DontResolveSymlinks, but I experimented with symlinks to directories and couldn't find any difference in behaviour/selection with it on or off. Anyone know specifically what this might/is supposed to do, am I fine without it?

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