What string format for a directory does the JFileChooser expect?

Rather than have to navigate up umpteen levels from the default starting folder ("My Documents", where I never put anything) to find the file I want the JFileChooser to open, I want it to start in a given folder. My code is this:

Code:

---

JFileChooser fc;
  if (e.getSource().equals(btnOpenDispatchFile)) {
    if (sLastDirOpened.length() > 2) {
      fc = new JFileChooser(sLastDirOpened);
    } else {
      //fc = new JFileChooser("//SorterSimulator/Data/"); <- First attempt; it runs, but still opens in "My Documents"
      fc = new JFileChooser("\\SorterSimulator\Data\");    <- Second attempt - "invalid escape sequence"
      fc = new JFileChooser("\\\SorterSimulator\\Data\\");    <- Third attempt -  ""
      fc = new JFileChooser();
}

---

After the first time, it works fine, but none of the "obvious" things I tried work to create it with a default folder to open. The full dir path is "C:\SorterSimulator\Data\"

What string do I need for it to open the folder I want?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blackbird

Rather than have to navigate up umpteen levels from the default starting folder ("My Documents", where I never put anything) to find the file I want the JFileChooser to open, I want it to start in a given folder. My code is this:

Code:

---

JFileChooser fc;
  if (e.getSource().equals(btnOpenDispatchFile)) {
    if (sLastDirOpened.length() > 2) {
      fc = new JFileChooser(sLastDirOpened);
    } else {
      //fc = new JFileChooser("//SorterSimulator/Data/"); <- First attempt; it runs, but still opens in "My Documents"
      fc = new JFileChooser("\\SorterSimulator\Data\");    <- Second attempt - "invalid escape sequence"
      fc = new JFileChooser("\\\SorterSimulator\\Data\\");    <- Third attempt -  ""
      fc = new JFileChooser();
}

---

After the first time, it works fine, but none of the "obvious" things I tried work to create it with a default folder to open. The full dir path is "C:\SorterSimulator\Data\"

What string do I need for it to open the folder I want?

---

Either C:\\SorterSimulator\\Data or C:/SorterSimulator/Data or any other combination of a single forward slash or a double backslash ...

kind regards,

Jos

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JosAH

Either C:\\SorterSimulator\\Data or C:/SorterSimulator/Data or any other combination of a single forward slash or a double backslash ...

kind regards,

Jos

---

Nope - both run, but both open in "My Documents"

The folder copied from the Explorer address bar = C:\SorterSimulator\Data

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by blackbird

Nope - both run, but both open in "My Documents"

The folder copied from the Explorer address bar = C:\SorterSimulator\Data

---

Strange, because it works for me (for years already); we have to go through the nitty-gritty details:

- the directory exists, right?
- the directory is readable?
- can you navigate to that directory with a JFileChooser that opened somewhere else?
- no other code you didn't show us?
- what is the value of sLastDirOpened?

kind regards,

Jos

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JosAH

Strange, because it works for me (for years already); we have to go through the nitty-gritty details:

- the directory exists, right?
- the directory is readable?
- can you navigate to that directory with a JFileChooser that opened somewhere else?
- no other code you didn't show us?
- what is the value of sLastDirOpened?

kind regards,

Jos

---

Yes
Yes
Yes
No (well, no pertinent code, I don't think)

sLastDirOpened is explicitly initialized to "";

The "Inspect window" on sLastDirOpened when I get to that if/else is:

"sLastDirOpened"= "" (id = 1436)
count= 0
hash= 0
offset= 0
value= (id=1437)

Both these should be OK - if that directory hierarchy exists on the current drive.
fc = new JFileChooser("\\SorterSimulator\\Data\\");
fc = new JFileChooser("\\SorterSimulator\\Data");

You might consider prefixing the drive letter (e.g. C:) to the path. If the path is incorrect, it will revert to the 'My Documents' directory.

Plus, are you sure you commented out that last fc = new JFileChooser(); statement before compiling the code?

OK, I guess it had to be exactly this:

fc = new JFileChooser("\\SorterSimulator\\Data\\");

Thanks; it saves me a few seconds time each test and gobs of frustration.

Be aware that the path element separators '\\' (known as 'file separators' in Java) vary between operating systems. If you want to make your path literals platform-independent, you can get the current file separator by calling System.getProperties("file.separator");