FileDialog (Java Platform SE 8 )
Keywords: java.awt.FileDialog class
Date: 2026-04-17

java.awt

## Class FileDialog

- java.lang.Object
- - java.awt.Component
  - - java.awt.Container
    - - java.awt.Window
      - - java.awt.Dialog
        - - java.awt.FileDialog

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    ImageObserver, MenuContainer, Serializable, Accessible

      public class FileDialog
      extends Dialog

  The `FileDialog` class displays a dialog window from which the user can select a file.

  Since it is a modal dialog, when the application calls its `show` method to display the dialog, it blocks the rest of the application until the user has chosen a file.

  Since:
    JDK1.0
  See Also:
    `Window.show()`, Serialized Form

- - ### Nested Class Summary

    - ### Nested classes/interfaces inherited from class java.awt.Dialog

      `Dialog.AccessibleAWTDialog, Dialog.ModalExclusionType, Dialog.ModalityType`

    - ### Nested classes/interfaces inherited from class java.awt.Window

      `Window.AccessibleAWTWindow, Window.Type`

    - ### Nested classes/interfaces inherited from class java.awt.Container

      `Container.AccessibleAWTContainer`

    - ### Nested classes/interfaces inherited from class java.awt.Component

      `Component.AccessibleAWTComponent, Component.BaselineResizeBehavior, Component.BltBufferStrategy, Component.FlipBufferStrategy`

  - ### Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type | Field and Description
    --- | ---
    `static int` | `LOAD` This constant value indicates that the purpose of the file dialog window is to locate a file from which to read.
    `static int` | `SAVE` This constant value indicates that the purpose of the file dialog window is to locate a file to which to write.

    - ### Fields inherited from class java.awt.Dialog

      `DEFAULT_MODALITY_TYPE`

    - ### Fields inherited from class java.awt.Component

      `accessibleContext, BOTTOM_ALIGNMENT, CENTER_ALIGNMENT, LEFT_ALIGNMENT, RIGHT_ALIGNMENT, TOP_ALIGNMENT`

    - ### Fields inherited from interface java.awt.image.ImageObserver

      `ABORT, ALLBITS, ERROR, FRAMEBITS, HEIGHT, PROPERTIES, SOMEBITS, WIDTH`

  - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor and Description
    `FileDialog(Dialog parent)` Creates a file dialog for loading a file.
    `FileDialog(Dialog parent, String title)` Creates a file dialog window with the specified title for loading a file.
    `FileDialog(Dialog parent, String title, int mode)` Creates a file dialog window with the specified title for loading or saving a file.
    `FileDialog(Frame parent)` Creates a file dialog for loading a file.
    `FileDialog(Frame parent, String title)` Creates a file dialog window with the specified title for loading a file.
    `FileDialog(Frame parent, String title, int mode)` Creates a file dialog window with the specified title for loading or saving a file.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `void` | `addNotify()` Creates the file dialog's peer.
    `String` | `getDirectory()` Gets the directory of this file dialog.
    `String` | `getFile()` Gets the selected file of this file dialog.
    `FilenameFilter` | `getFilenameFilter()` Determines this file dialog's filename filter.
    `File[]` | `getFiles()` Returns files that the user selects.
    `int` | `getMode()` Indicates whether this file dialog box is for loading from a file or for saving to a file.
    `boolean` | `isMultipleMode()` Returns whether the file dialog allows the multiple file selection.
    `protected String` | `paramString()` Returns a string representing the state of this `FileDialog` window.
    `void` | `setDirectory(String dir)` Sets the directory of this file dialog window to be the specified directory.
    `void` | `setFile(String file)` Sets the selected file for this file dialog window to be the specified file.
    `void` | `setFilenameFilter(FilenameFilter filter)` Sets the filename filter for this file dialog window to the specified filter.
    `void` | `setMode(int mode)` Sets the mode of the file dialog.
    `void` | `setMultipleMode(boolean enable)` Enables or disables multiple file selection for the file dialog.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.awt.Dialog

      `getAccessibleContext, getModalityType, getTitle, hide, isModal, isResizable, isUndecorated, setBackground, setModal, setModalityType, setOpacity, setResizable, setShape, setTitle, setUndecorated, setVisible, show, toBack`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.awt.Window

      `addPropertyChangeListener, addPropertyChangeListener, addWindowFocusListener, addWindowListener, addWindowStateListener, applyResourceBundle, applyResourceBundle, createBufferStrategy, createBufferStrategy, dispose, getBackground, getBufferStrategy, getFocusableWindowState, getFocusCycleRootAncestor, getFocusOwner, getFocusTraversalKeys, getIconImages, getInputContext, getListeners, getLocale, getModalExclusionType, getMostRecentFocusOwner, getOpacity, getOwnedWindows, getOwner, getOwnerlessWindows, getShape, getToolkit, getType, getWarningString, getWindowFocusListeners, getWindowListeners, getWindows, getWindowStateListeners, isActive, isAlwaysOnTop, isAlwaysOnTopSupported, isAutoRequestFocus, isFocusableWindow, isFocusCycleRoot, isFocused, isLocationByPlatform, isOpaque, isShowing, isValidateRoot, pack, paint, postEvent, processEvent, processWindowEvent, processWindowFocusEvent, processWindowStateEvent, removeNotify, removeWindowFocusListener, removeWindowListener, removeWindowStateListener, reshape, setAlwaysOnTop, setAutoRequestFocus, setBounds, setBounds, setCursor, setFocusableWindowState, setFocusCycleRoot, setIconImage, setIconImages, setLocation, setLocation, setLocationByPlatform, setLocationRelativeTo, setMinimumSize, setModalExclusionType, setSize, setSize, setType, toFront`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.awt.Container

      `add, add, add, add, add, addContainerListener, addImpl, applyComponentOrientation, areFocusTraversalKeysSet, countComponents, deliverEvent, doLayout, findComponentAt, findComponentAt, getAlignmentX, getAlignmentY, getComponent, getComponentAt, getComponentAt, getComponentCount, getComponents, getComponentZOrder, getContainerListeners, getFocusTraversalPolicy, getInsets, getLayout, getMaximumSize, getMinimumSize, getMousePosition, getPreferredSize, insets, invalidate, isAncestorOf, isFocusCycleRoot, isFocusTraversalPolicyProvider, isFocusTraversalPolicySet, layout, list, list, locate, minimumSize, paintComponents, preferredSize, print, printComponents, processContainerEvent, remove, remove, removeAll, removeContainerListener, setComponentZOrder, setFocusTraversalKeys, setFocusTraversalPolicy, setFocusTraversalPolicyProvider, setFont, setLayout, transferFocusDownCycle, update, validate, validateTree`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.awt.Component

      `action, add, addComponentListener, addFocusListener, addHierarchyBoundsListener, addHierarchyListener, addInputMethodListener, addKeyListener, addMouseListener, addMouseMotionListener, addMouseWheelListener, bounds, checkImage, checkImage, coalesceEvents, contains, contains, createImage, createImage, createVolatileImage, createVolatileImage, disable, disableEvents, dispatchEvent, enable, enable, enableEvents, enableInputMethods, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, getBaseline, getBaselineResizeBehavior, getBounds, getBounds, getColorModel, getComponentListeners, getComponentOrientation, getCursor, getDropTarget, getFocusListeners, getFocusTraversalKeysEnabled, getFont, getFontMetrics, getForeground, getGraphics, getGraphicsConfiguration, getHeight, getHierarchyBoundsListeners, getHierarchyListeners, getIgnoreRepaint, getInputMethodListeners, getInputMethodRequests, getKeyListeners, getLocation, getLocation, getLocationOnScreen, getMouseListeners, getMouseMotionListeners, getMousePosition, getMouseWheelListeners, getName, getParent, getPeer, getPropertyChangeListeners, getPropertyChangeListeners, getSize, getSize, getTreeLock, getWidth, getX, getY, gotFocus, handleEvent, hasFocus, imageUpdate, inside, isBackgroundSet, isCursorSet, isDisplayable, isDoubleBuffered, isEnabled, isFocusable, isFocusOwner, isFocusTraversable, isFontSet, isForegroundSet, isLightweight, isMaximumSizeSet, isMinimumSizeSet, isPreferredSizeSet, isValid, isVisible, keyDown, keyUp, list, list, list, location, lostFocus, mouseDown, mouseDrag, mouseEnter, mouseExit, mouseMove, mouseUp, move, nextFocus, paintAll, prepareImage, prepareImage, printAll, processComponentEvent, processFocusEvent, processHierarchyBoundsEvent, processHierarchyEvent, processInputMethodEvent, processKeyEvent, processMouseEvent, processMouseMotionEvent, processMouseWheelEvent, remove, removeComponentListener, removeFocusListener, removeHierarchyBoundsListener, removeHierarchyListener, removeInputMethodListener, removeKeyListener, removeMouseListener, removeMouseMotionListener, removeMouseWheelListener, removePropertyChangeListener, removePropertyChangeListener, repaint, repaint, repaint, repaint, requestFocus, requestFocus, requestFocusInWindow, requestFocusInWindow, resize, resize, revalidate, setComponentOrientation, setDropTarget, setEnabled, setFocusable, setFocusTraversalKeysEnabled, setForeground, setIgnoreRepaint, setLocale, setMaximumSize, setName, setPreferredSize, show, size, toString, transferFocus, transferFocusBackward, transferFocusUpCycle`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Field Detail

    - #### LOAD

          public static final int LOAD

      This constant value indicates that the purpose of the file dialog window is to locate a file from which to read.
      See Also:
        Constant Field Values

    - #### SAVE

          public static final int SAVE

      This constant value indicates that the purpose of the file dialog window is to locate a file to which to write.
      See Also:
        Constant Field Values

  - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### FileDialog

          public FileDialog(Frame parent)

      Creates a file dialog for loading a file. The title of the file dialog is initially empty. This is a convenience method for `FileDialog(parent, "", LOAD)`.
      Parameters:
        `parent` - the owner of the dialog
      Since:
        JDK1.1

    - #### FileDialog

          public FileDialog(Frame parent,
                            String title)

      Creates a file dialog window with the specified title for loading a file. The files shown are those in the current directory. This is a convenience method for `FileDialog(parent, title, LOAD)`.
      Parameters:
        `parent` - the owner of the dialog
        `title` - the title of the dialog

    - #### FileDialog

          public FileDialog(Frame parent,
                            String title,
                            int mode)

      Creates a file dialog window with the specified title for loading or saving a file.

      If the value of `mode` is `LOAD`, then the file dialog is finding a file to read, and the files shown are those in the current directory. If the value of `mode` is `SAVE`, the file dialog is finding a place to write a file.

      Parameters:
        `parent` - the owner of the dialog
        `title` - the title of the dialog
        `mode` - the mode of the dialog; either `FileDialog.LOAD` or `FileDialog.SAVE`
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if an illegal file dialog mode is supplied
      See Also:
        `LOAD`, `SAVE`

    - #### FileDialog

          public FileDialog(Dialog parent)

      Creates a file dialog for loading a file. The title of the file dialog is initially empty. This is a convenience method for `FileDialog(parent, "", LOAD)`.
      Parameters:
        `parent` - the owner of the dialog
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the `parent`'s `GraphicsConfiguration` is not from a screen device;
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if `parent` is `null`; this exception is always thrown when `GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless` returns `true`
      Since:
        1.5
      See Also:
        `GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()`

    - #### FileDialog

          public FileDialog(Dialog parent,
                            String title)

      Creates a file dialog window with the specified title for loading a file. The files shown are those in the current directory. This is a convenience method for `FileDialog(parent, title, LOAD)`.
      Parameters:
        `parent` - the owner of the dialog
        `title` - the title of the dialog; a `null` value will be accepted without causing a `NullPointerException` to be thrown
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the `parent`'s `GraphicsConfiguration` is not from a screen device;
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if `parent` is `null`; this exception is always thrown when `GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless` returns `true`
      Since:
        1.5
      See Also:
        `GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()`

    - #### FileDialog

          public FileDialog(Dialog parent,
                            String title,
                            int mode)

      Creates a file dialog window with the specified title for loading or saving a file.

      If the value of `mode` is `LOAD`, then the file dialog is finding a file to read, and the files shown are those in the current directory. If the value of `mode` is `SAVE`, the file dialog is finding a place to write a file.

      Parameters:
        `parent` - the owner of the dialog
        `title` - the title of the dialog; a `null` value will be accepted without causing a `NullPointerException` to be thrown
        `mode` - the mode of the dialog; either `FileDialog.LOAD` or `FileDialog.SAVE`
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if an illegal file dialog mode is supplied;
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the `parent`'s `GraphicsConfiguration` is not from a screen device;
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if `parent` is `null`; this exception is always thrown when `GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless` returns `true`
      Since:
        1.5
      See Also:
        `GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()`, `LOAD`, `SAVE`

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### addNotify

          public void addNotify()

      Creates the file dialog's peer. The peer allows us to change the look of the file dialog without changing its functionality.
      Overrides:
        `addNotify` in class `Dialog`
      See Also:
        `Component.isDisplayable()`, `Window.removeNotify()`

    - #### getMode

          public int getMode()

      Indicates whether this file dialog box is for loading from a file or for saving to a file.
      Returns:
        the mode of this file dialog window, either `FileDialog.LOAD` or `FileDialog.SAVE`
      See Also:
        `LOAD`, `SAVE`, `setMode(int)`

    - #### setMode

          public void setMode(int mode)

      Sets the mode of the file dialog. If `mode` is not a legal value, an exception will be thrown and `mode` will not be set.
      Parameters:
        `mode` - the mode for this file dialog, either `FileDialog.LOAD` or `FileDialog.SAVE`
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if an illegal file dialog mode is supplied
      Since:
        JDK1.1
      See Also:
        `LOAD`, `SAVE`, `getMode()`

    - #### getDirectory

          public String getDirectory()

      Gets the directory of this file dialog.
      Returns:
        the (potentially `null` or invalid) directory of this `FileDialog`
      See Also:
        `setDirectory(java.lang.String)`

    - #### setDirectory

          public void setDirectory(String dir)

      Sets the directory of this file dialog window to be the specified directory. Specifying a `null` or an invalid directory implies an implementation-defined default. This default will not be realized, however, until the user has selected a file. Until this point, `getDirectory()` will return the value passed into this method.

      Specifying "" as the directory is exactly equivalent to specifying `null` as the directory.

      Parameters:
        `dir` - the specified directory
      See Also:
        `getDirectory()`

    - #### getFile

          public String getFile()

      Gets the selected file of this file dialog. If the user selected `CANCEL`, the returned file is `null`.
      Returns:
        the currently selected file of this file dialog window, or `null` if none is selected
      See Also:
        `setFile(java.lang.String)`

    - #### getFiles

          public File[] getFiles()

      Returns files that the user selects.

      If the user cancels the file dialog, then the method returns an empty array.

      Returns:
        files that the user selects or an empty array if the user cancels the file dialog.
      Since:
        1.7
      See Also:
        `setFile(String)`, `getFile()`

    - #### setFile

          public void setFile(String file)

      Sets the selected file for this file dialog window to be the specified file. This file becomes the default file if it is set before the file dialog window is first shown.

      When the dialog is shown, the specified file is selected. The kind of selection depends on the file existence, the dialog type, and the native platform. E.g., the file could be highlighted in the file list, or a file name editbox could be populated with the file name.

      This method accepts either a full file path, or a file name with an extension if used together with the `setDirectory` method.

      Specifying "" as the file is exactly equivalent to specifying `null` as the file.

      Parameters:
        `file` - the file being set
      See Also:
        `getFile()`, `getFiles()`

    - #### setMultipleMode

          public void setMultipleMode(boolean enable)

      Enables or disables multiple file selection for the file dialog.
      Parameters:
        `enable` - if `true`, multiple file selection is enabled; `false` - disabled.
      Since:
        1.7
      See Also:
        `isMultipleMode()`

    - #### isMultipleMode

          public boolean isMultipleMode()

      Returns whether the file dialog allows the multiple file selection.
      Returns:
        `true` if the file dialog allows the multiple file selection; `false` otherwise.
      Since:
        1.7
      See Also:
        `setMultipleMode(boolean)`

    - #### getFilenameFilter

          public FilenameFilter getFilenameFilter()

      Determines this file dialog's filename filter. A filename filter allows the user to specify which files appear in the file dialog window. Filename filters do not function in Sun's reference implementation for Microsoft Windows.
      Returns:
        this file dialog's filename filter
      See Also:
        `FilenameFilter`, `setFilenameFilter(java.io.FilenameFilter)`

    - #### setFilenameFilter

          public void setFilenameFilter(FilenameFilter filter)

      Sets the filename filter for this file dialog window to the specified filter. Filename filters do not function in Sun's reference implementation for Microsoft Windows.
      Parameters:
        `filter` - the specified filter
      See Also:
        `FilenameFilter`, `getFilenameFilter()`

    - #### paramString

          protected String paramString()

      Returns a string representing the state of this `FileDialog` window. This method is intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The returned string may be empty but may not be `null`.
      Overrides:
        `paramString` in class `Dialog`
      Returns:
        the parameter string of this file dialog window

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