8.3. Browse for Files

The last section of this Chapter demonstrates how to allow users to select a file or a directory by browsing their file systems with their native operating system's browse dialog. The sample code in Listing 8-9 shows two methods for opening the native browse dialog. The first uses the browseForOpen function of the File class, which is supplied a single argument for the label of the dialog box. A second argument to limit the browse dialog to specific file types is also available as an optional argument. An eventListener has been added to show the user's selection. The results can be seen in Figures 8-10 and 8-11. The second example uses the browseForDirectory function of the File class, which accepts a single argument for the browse dialog label. The results of this can be seen in Figures 8-12 and 8-13.

Example 8-9. Code for using the operating system's native browse dialog within AIR
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:WindowedApplication xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
      layout="absolute">
      <mx:Script>
      <![CDATA[
      import  flash.filesystem.File;
      import  mx.controls.Alert;
      // Allows user to select a file 
      private function  browseForOpen():void {
        var  file:File = new  File();
        file.addEventListener(Event.SELECT,openHandler);
        file.browseForOpen("Select a File" );
       }
       private function  openHandler(event:Event):void {
         Alert.show(event.target.nativePath,"Selected File" );
      }
      // Allows user to select a directory 
      private function  browseForDirectory():

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