API Request: Function for showing an "Open File" dialog that returns the selected path

[daviwil]

Is it possible to add an API function which allows an extension to show an "Open File" dialog which doesn't cause VS Code to open the selected file but instead returns the file path? I'd like to allow the user to easily pick the location of a PowerShell executable to use for their editing session.

I've looked around for a while to find a way to do this without the need for a new API but couldn't find a solution. If you know of a better method, I'd be more than happy to use that :)

Thanks!

[RainingChain]

So is there any way to do that right now?

Only way I found is to tell the user to open the file and place it in the second column. Then I can get the file with this code:

 let col2Editor = vscode.window.visibleTextEditors.find(editor => editor.viewColumn === vscode.ViewColumn.Two);
 let filename = col2Editor && col2Editor.document.fileName;

I'm sure there's a cleaner way to do this...

[emackey]

I'd like this feature as well. I'm writing an extension that wants to allow the user to select a binary file on disk (one that wouldn't normally open in vscode) and encode it into a data-uri string, and embed it into the current text document. So, I need a "file open" dialog that returns the full path & filename.

[jrieken]

@chrisdias Please provide some details about your use-case/scenario

[chrisdias]

In a nutshell, I want to be able to write an extension that will scaffold out a "new project". I want to prompt the user for a new folder, I'll then scaffold code into that folder, and then I will (re) open Code on that folder, or add as a new root folder.

So, I need:

• An API that let's me prompt for a new folder

• An API for opening or reopening VS Code on a folder. To accomplish this today, I have to invoke the vscode.openFolder command, see the awesome open new instance extension:

// The explorer/context menu contribution receives the URI to the file/folder
    let cmd1 = vscode.commands.registerCommand('extension.openNewInstance', (e: vscode.Uri) => {
        vscode.commands.executeCommand("vscode.openFolder", e, true);
    });

• An API for adding a new root level work space folder

[daviwil]

Incidentally the PowerShell extension also needs this API for project templating UI, so it'd be awesome to have this :)

[jrieken]

Ok, you want a lot more then a file picker dialog. Step by step...

An API that let's me prompt for a new folder

I assume that is outside the current workspace folders and you'd expect the native OS file picker, right? It's unclear to me if picking a file inside the workspace should use our Cmd+P picker... In general there are a few options to this but nothing dramatic.

An API for opening or reopening VS Code on a folder. To accomplish this today, I have to invoke the vscode.openFolder command, see the awesome open new instance extension:

That is a lot more and I am not sure the implication are clear to everyone here. When we open a new or different folder a different extension host comes to life and your current extension host might be shut down (when replacing the current window). In any case you won't be able to talk to that "other" extension host.

An API for adding a new root level work space folder

Similar to above. For API-stability reasons we restart the extension host when going from 0-1, 1-N, (1-0, N-1) workspace folders. That also means that your extension is getting restarted and that you need to keep your state somewhere else.

[chrisdias]

I assume that is outside the current workspace folder

Yes, that would be my general expectation where the user would pick. However, it seems reasonable that they could pick a folder inside the workspace. Whether or not I reload the workbench seems to be something that is then up to the extension author.

you'd expect the native OS file picker

Yes, very much. I want the easy ability to switch drives, add a new folder, etc. all provided by the OS pickers today.

your current extension host might be shut down

In my scenario I'm perfectly fine with this.

I can live with using the vscode.openFolder command for now, but having a real API for this feels cleaner. For adding a new root level workspace folder i'm assuming there will be a similar vscode.addFolderToWorkspace command I could leverage?