GetOpenFileName method different in Excel

In Excel 2000, using the GetOpenFileName method you can include a FileFilter
(the first argument) such as *.something.extension and the dialog box would
show those files.

Starting in Excel XP that does not work in code anymore. You can physically
type that into the dialog box under "File name" and it will work but when it
is set in code it will only recognize *.extension.

Is this a design change or a bug?

Sample code:
----------------
FileName = Application.GetOpenFilename("Sample Files (*.test.txt),
*.test.txt")
----------------
This will not show a file named First.test.txt in Excel XP/2003 but the same
code will show the file in Excel 2000.

Ryan

GetOpenFilename has always only supported filtering on an extension. In
your case, the extension is .txt. If you were able to get it to filter
..test.txt, then you were fortunate, but that isn't the advertised behavior -
so you were utilizing an undocumented capability. You use undocumented
capabilities at your own risk since they may not be supported in later
versions.

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In Excel 2000, using the GetOpenFileName method you can include a
FileFilter
> (the first argument) such as *.something.extension and the dialog box
would
> show those files.
>
> Starting in Excel XP that does not work in code anymore. You can
physically
> type that into the dialog box under "File name" and it will work but when
it
> is set in code it will only recognize *.extension.
>
> Is this a design change or a bug?
>
> Sample code:
> ----------------
> FileName = Application.GetOpenFilename("Sample Files (*.test.txt),
> *.test.txt")
> ----------------
> This will not show a file named First.test.txt in Excel XP/2003 but the
same
> code will show the file in Excel 2000.
>
> Ryan
>

The first paramater to GetOpenFileName in Excel is called FileFilter not
extension. In fact in Excel 2003 Help on GetOpenFileName for FileFilter it
says the filter is an "MS-DOS wildcard file filter specification."
Obviously, *.test.txt does work in MS-DOS. In fact, using the same control,
comdlg32.dll, that Excel's GetOpenFileName method uses outside of Excel works
just fine. It is an obvious code change in Excel but I wanted to know if it
was intentional or not.

Ryan

"Tom Ogilvy" wrote:

> GetOpenFilename has always only supported filtering on an extension. In
> your case, the extension is .txt. If you were able to get it to filter
> ..test.txt, then you were fortunate, but that isn't the advertised behavior -
> so you were utilizing an undocumented capability. You use undocumented
> capabilities at your own risk since they may not be supported in later
> versions.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Tom Ogilvy
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In Excel 2000, using the GetOpenFileName method you can include a
> FileFilter
> > (the first argument) such as *.something.extension and the dialog box
> would
> > show those files.
> >
> > Starting in Excel XP that does not work in code anymore. You can
> physically
> > type that into the dialog box under "File name" and it will work but when
> it
> > is set in code it will only recognize *.extension.
> >
> > Is this a design change or a bug?
> >
> > Sample code:
> > ----------------
> > FileName = Application.GetOpenFilename("Sample Files (*.test.txt),
> > *.test.txt")
> > ----------------
> > This will not show a file named First.test.txt in Excel XP/2003 but the
> same
> > code will show the file in Excel 2000.
> >
> > Ryan
> >
>
>
>

Call MS support and I am sure they will answer your question for a fee.
Unless you have some type of support agreement with microsoft, you will not
get an answer from Microsoft here. this is peer-to-peer support.
Otherwise, you can assume it is an intentional design change. <g>

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The first paramater to GetOpenFileName in Excel is called FileFilter not
> extension. In fact in Excel 2003 Help on GetOpenFileName for FileFilter
it
> says the filter is an "MS-DOS wildcard file filter specification."
> Obviously, *.test.txt does work in MS-DOS. In fact, using the same
control,
> comdlg32.dll, that Excel's GetOpenFileName method uses outside of Excel
works
> just fine. It is an obvious code change in Excel but I wanted to know if
it
> was intentional or not.
>
> Ryan
>
> "Tom Ogilvy" wrote:
>
> > GetOpenFilename has always only supported filtering on an extension. In
> > your case, the extension is .txt. If you were able to get it to filter
> > ..test.txt, then you were fortunate, but that isn't the advertised
behavior -
> > so you were utilizing an undocumented capability. You use undocumented
> > capabilities at your own risk since they may not be supported in later
> > versions.
> >
> > --
> > Regards,
> > Tom Ogilvy
> >
> > <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > In Excel 2000, using the GetOpenFileName method you can include a
> > FileFilter
> > > (the first argument) such as *.something.extension and the dialog box
> > would
> > > show those files.
> > >
> > > Starting in Excel XP that does not work in code anymore. You can
> > physically
> > > type that into the dialog box under "File name" and it will work but
when
> > it
> > > is set in code it will only recognize *.extension.
> > >
> > > Is this a design change or a bug?
> > >
> > > Sample code:
> > > ----------------
> > > FileName = Application.GetOpenFilename("Sample Files (*.test.txt),
> > > *.test.txt")
> > > ----------------
> > > This will not show a file named First.test.txt in Excel XP/2003 but
the
> > same
> > > code will show the file in Excel 2000.
> > >
> > > Ryan
> > >
> >
> >
> >

I do have an MSDN Universal subscription which guarantees a Microsoft respone
within 2 business days.

Ryan

"Tom Ogilvy" wrote:

> Call MS support and I am sure they will answer your question for a fee.
> Unless you have some type of support agreement with microsoft, you will not
> get an answer from Microsoft here. this is peer-to-peer support.
> Otherwise, you can assume it is an intentional design change. <g>
>
> --
> Regards,
> Tom Ogilvy
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > The first paramater to GetOpenFileName in Excel is called FileFilter not
> > extension. In fact in Excel 2003 Help on GetOpenFileName for FileFilter
> it
> > says the filter is an "MS-DOS wildcard file filter specification."
> > Obviously, *.test.txt does work in MS-DOS. In fact, using the same
> control,
> > comdlg32.dll, that Excel's GetOpenFileName method uses outside of Excel
> works
> > just fine. It is an obvious code change in Excel but I wanted to know if
> it
> > was intentional or not.
> >
> > Ryan
> >
> > "Tom Ogilvy" wrote:
> >
> > > GetOpenFilename has always only supported filtering on an extension. In
> > > your case, the extension is .txt. If you were able to get it to filter
> > > ..test.txt, then you were fortunate, but that isn't the advertised
> behavior -
> > > so you were utilizing an undocumented capability. You use undocumented
> > > capabilities at your own risk since they may not be supported in later
> > > versions.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Regards,
> > > Tom Ogilvy
> > >
> > > <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > In Excel 2000, using the GetOpenFileName method you can include a
> > > FileFilter
> > > > (the first argument) such as *.something.extension and the dialog box
> > > would
> > > > show those files.
> > > >
> > > > Starting in Excel XP that does not work in code anymore. You can
> > > physically
> > > > type that into the dialog box under "File name" and it will work but
> when
> > > it
> > > > is set in code it will only recognize *.extension.
> > > >
> > > > Is this a design change or a bug?
> > > >
> > > > Sample code:
> > > > ----------------
> > > > FileName = Application.GetOpenFilename("Sample Files (*.test.txt),
> > > > *.test.txt")
> > > > ----------------
> > > > This will not show a file named First.test.txt in Excel XP/2003 but
> the
> > > same
> > > > code will show the file in Excel 2000.
> > > >
> > > > Ryan
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>

I always wondered how that would work. How will they relate
[email protected]am to your subscription. Do you have to register it
somehow. Anyway, it shouldn't be long now <g>.

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I do have an MSDN Universal subscription which guarantees a Microsoft
respone
> within 2 business days.
>
> Ryan
>
> "Tom Ogilvy" wrote:
>
> > Call MS support and I am sure they will answer your question for a fee.
> > Unless you have some type of support agreement with microsoft, you will
not
> > get an answer from Microsoft here. this is peer-to-peer support.
> > Otherwise, you can assume it is an intentional design change. <g>
> >
> > --
> > Regards,
> > Tom Ogilvy
> >
> > <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > The first paramater to GetOpenFileName in Excel is called FileFilter
not
> > > extension. In fact in Excel 2003 Help on GetOpenFileName for
FileFilter
> > it
> > > says the filter is an "MS-DOS wildcard file filter specification."
> > > Obviously, *.test.txt does work in MS-DOS. In fact, using the same
> > control,
> > > comdlg32.dll, that Excel's GetOpenFileName method uses outside of
Excel
> > works
> > > just fine. It is an obvious code change in Excel but I wanted to know
if
> > it
> > > was intentional or not.
> > >
> > > Ryan
> > >
> > > "Tom Ogilvy" wrote:
> > >
> > > > GetOpenFilename has always only supported filtering on an extension.
In
> > > > your case, the extension is .txt. If you were able to get it to
filter
> > > > ..test.txt, then you were fortunate, but that isn't the advertised
> > behavior -
> > > > so you were utilizing an undocumented capability. You use
undocumented
> > > > capabilities at your own risk since they may not be supported in
later
> > > > versions.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Regards,
> > > > Tom Ogilvy
> > > >
> > > > <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > > In Excel 2000, using the GetOpenFileName method you can include a
> > > > FileFilter
> > > > > (the first argument) such as *.something.extension and the dialog
box
> > > > would
> > > > > show those files.
> > > > >
> > > > > Starting in Excel XP that does not work in code anymore. You can
> > > > physically
> > > > > type that into the dialog box under "File name" and it will work
but
> > when
> > > > it
> > > > > is set in code it will only recognize *.extension.
> > > > >
> > > > > Is this a design change or a bug?
> > > > >
> > > > > Sample code:
> > > > > ----------------
> > > > > FileName = Application.GetOpenFilename("Sample Files (*.test.txt),
> > > > > *.test.txt")
> > > > > ----------------
> > > > > This will not show a file named First.test.txt in Excel XP/2003
but
> > the
> > > > same
> > > > > code will show the file in Excel 2000.
> > > > >
> > > > > Ryan
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >
> >

Hi Ryan,

Sorry for delay reply. This is caused by that we did not recognize your
post as managed customer.
Based on the problem, so far I can reproduce the problem and I am
researching the issue and I will update you with new information ASAP.

Best regards,

Peter Huang
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Hi Ryan,

Since the windows file system is usually works as extension.
e.g. *.txt means text.
So I think our change is going to reflect the idea that use the *.ext to
define the file type.
If you still have any concern, please feel free to post here.

Best regards,

Peter Huang
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.