Open file folder location in Windows Explorer

[Ajay_MV]

There has been always the need of opening the file/folder location in windows explorer, but I guess every application uses the trick of doing it through "System Exec.vi" or "Open URL" or Win32 API.  There is no LabVIEW native function to directly open folder/files in windows explorer directly.

Below threads discusses various methods to achieve this...

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Use-LabVIEW-to-open-Windows-Explorer-to-a-certain-directory/td-p/898...

https://lavag.org/topic/11395-opening-windows-explorer-to-a-specific-directory/

https://lavag.org/topic/18444-open-windows-folder/

https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-14633

https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-22461

It would be nice if LabVIEW comes with some native function like below

[X.]

I don't understand: the first thread that you are linking to shows that there is a native LV VI to do just this (Open URL in Default Browser, under Dialog & User Interface -> Help), and it is illustrated by smercurio_fc:

What need is there for another VI?

[AristosQueue (NI)]

It isn't in the palettes, isn't documented and it isn't named very well.

And at least one comment says it doesn't work for network paths.

[X.]

It IS in the palettes.

The fact that the help doesn't document the windows explorer versus internet explorer is a CAR (a png file for instance is indeed opened by IE, so as long as the file format is supported, it will try. A txt file is opened bby Notepad, etc).

Network paths fail with the Actor Framework, I thought this was an "expected" behavior. Joke aside, "standard" network paths work just fine.

Anyway, if you want to create a brand new VI, be my guest.

[Ajay_MV]

"Open URL in default browser.vi" opens the folder also in web broser as below but not in windows explorer.  

Hence,  I had to use "System Exec.vi" to do it. 

[X.]

It doesn't for me (LV 2015 64 bit running on Windows 7 64 bit).

I tested it on a Mac as well (LV 2011 on MacOS 10.9.5), same thing.

When feeding the VI a folder path, the Finder is opened without any browser intervention, and a text file is opened by TextEdit without any browser intervention.

[Ajay_MV]

@X

That's why we need some native function which works fairly across everywhere and so I posted this idea.. 🙂

[X.]

You may not have understood my previous post: I meant to say that I had no problem whatsoever to have the already existing VI work as YOU would want your hypothetical new VI to function. On two different OS.

In other words, I would suggest that some settings is amiss on your computer (I certainly did not mess up with any of mine). creating the behavior you document.

Said otherwise, you are essentially reporting a series of documentation gaps and undocumented features, but other than that, the existing VI should provide you with the functionalities you are looking for.

Now, as far as getting help on this from NI, you are on your own.

Good luck.

[AristosQueue (NI)]

Ah... one of the early posts said it wasn't in the palettes. I guess it got added at some point.

[altenbach]

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X.:  When feeding the VI a folder path, the Finder is opened without any browser intervention, and a text file is opened by TextEdit without any browser intervention.

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If I feed it a folder path, the location opens in chrome, now windows explorer. If I give it the path of a text file, the file opens in chrome, not the default application. What are you doing differently?

[X.]

Hmm...

I am using Windows 7 on Parallels Desktop 11.

I have made no changes (that I am aware of) to my sytem since my previous posts, but now I do have chrome take over when I pretend to open a .txt file. Or a folder... Although I did manage to have Windows Explorer open one folder before a series of fails.

Odd.

I will have to try it again on the Mac I tested the Mac LV 2011 version (where I have done NOTHING since my last test).