FileFilter

hello people,
i am trying to write the code for a FileFilter in a JFileChooser, but i'm really having troubles with it... i've searched tutorials and forums, but i didn't find an answer.
this is my code so far: class myFilter implements FileFilter{
     String fileName;
     Vector listOfFiles = new Vector();
     String z = "myFile.txt";
     public myFilter(){listOfFiles.addElement(z);}
     public boolean accept(File f){
          boolean b = true;
          for (int i = 0; i<listOfFiles.size(); i++){
               String t = (String)listOfFiles.elementAt(i);
               if ((f.getName()).equals(t)) b = true;
               else b = false;
          return b;
     public void addFileName(String n){
          listOfFiles.addElement(n);
     public Vector getList(){
          return listOfFiles;
}======================
main:
JFileChooser chooser = new JFileChooser();
chooser.setFileFilter(new myFilter());
//...===========================
it gives me the following error:
setFileFilter(javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter) in javax.swing.JFileChooser cannot be applied to (myFilter)
                         chooser.setFileFilter(new myFilter());
i don't understand what's wrong so any help would be highly appreciated... thanks in advance!

Your class implements java.io.FileFilter, when it should extend javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter.

Similar Messages

Javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter

Does anybody know why javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter is an abstract class
instead of an interface extending java.io.FileFilter ?
Gordan

Yeh - and while we are on the subject, why doesnt it implement java.io.FileFilter so you can use the same filter for the filechooser as you do for listing files? </bangheadagainstwall>

Java.io.file.list(FileFilter) problem

When I add the following filter within the parentheses of the .list() method, I get a "cannot resolve symbol" error. It seems odd to me that all of a sudden the classpath needs to be different because I add this (unless I am mistaken as to the solution.
BTW, I am using Sun ONE Studio 4 update 1. I can't figure out how to change the classpath for the project within the GUI anyway.
Thanks,
LNMEgo
        String [] files = filePath.list(
new FileFilter()
     public boolean accept(File file)
        if (file.isDirectory()) return false; // ignore if this is a directory
        String fileName = file.getName();//.toUpperCase; // get the name of the file in upper case
        if (fileName.endsWith(".TXT")) return true; // if it ends with .TXT, then accept it
        return false; // otherwise, ignore it
        );

Hehe, you've danced around the solution/problem
Check out the methods defined in the API
String[] list()
String[] list(FilenameFilter filter)
File[] listFiles()
File[] listFiles(FileFilter filter)
File[] listFiles(FilenameFilter filter)
You're trying to use a FileFilter, and return a String[].... look more closely.
Either use a FilenameFilter and get your String[], or continue with the FileFilter, and receive a File[].
Good luck,
Radish21

Multiple FileFilter in a JFileChooser

I wanna have a save file dialog with a list of choosableFileFilter that the user can select. Here is my code :
import java.io.File;
import javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter;
public class ImageFilter extends FileFilter {
    private static String description;
    private static String extension;
    private static String loadOrSave;
    private final static String jpeg = "jpeg";
    private final static String jpg = "jpg";
    private final static String gif = "gif";
    private final static String tiff = "tiff";
    private final static String tif = "tif";
    private final static String png = "png";
    public ImageFilter(String ext,String desc,String type) {
        super();
        extension = ext;
        description = desc;
        loadOrSave = type;
    public boolean accept(File f) {
        if (loadOrSave.equals("load")) { // "load" ==> only accept files with the final extension above
            if (f.isDirectory()) {
                return true;
            String ext = getExtension(f);
            if (ext != null) {
                if (ext.equals(tiff) || ext.equals(tif) || ext.equals(gif) ||
                    ext.equals(jpeg) || ext.equals(jpg) || ext.equals(png)) {
                    return true;
                else return false;
            return false;
        else { // "save" ==> only accept files with extension "extension"
            if (f.isDirectory()) {
                return true;
            String ext = getExtension(f);
            if (ext != null) {
                if (ext.equals(extension)) return true;
                else return false;
            return false;
    // Get the extension of a file.
    public static String getExtension(File f) {
        String ext = null;
        String s = f.getName();
        int i = s.lastIndexOf('.');
        if (i > 0 && i < s.length() - 1) {
            ext = s.substring(i+1).toLowerCase();
        return ext;
    //The description of the Image filter
    public String getDescription() {
        if (loadOrSave.equals("load")) return "Images (*.jpg,*.jpeg,*.gif,*.png,*.tiff,*.tif)";
        else return description;
    public static String getSaveExtension() {
        if (loadOrSave.equals("save")) return extension;
        else return null;
}I then use my class in the following code fragment :
JFileChooser fc = new JFileChooser(currentdir);
        ImageFilter bmp = new ImageFilter("bmp","Images BMP (*.bmp)","save");
        ImageFilter jpeg = new ImageFilter("jpeg","Images JPEG (*.jpeg)","save");
        ImageFilter jpg = new ImageFilter("jpg","Images JPG (*.jpg)","save");
        ImageFilter png = new ImageFilter("png","Images PNG (*.png)","save");
        ImageFilter wbmp = new ImageFilter("wbmp","Images WBMP (*.wbmp)","save");
        fc.addChoosableFileFilter(bmp);
        fc.addChoosableFileFilter(jpeg);
        fc.addChoosableFileFilter(jpg);
        fc.addChoosableFileFilter(png);
        fc.addChoosableFileFilter(png);
        fc.setAcceptAllFileFilterUsed(false);
        int returnVal = fc.showSaveDialog(fc);The problem is that the choosable FileFilters in the save dialog have the same description : Images WBMP (*.wbmp). I don't understand why. I created different ImageFilters and then add them one by one. So where's the problem ?
Thx in advance.

Damned !
I'm always asking myself if I have to use the static modifier for a class variable.
I don't really understand the concept of static variables...
I think static variables belongs to the class and not to the instances of this class.. Am I right ?

How would you write a "wildcard" in a filefilter?

How would you go about to have a wildcard instead of the "*" in the following filefilter;
          File[] files = new File("./resultat/resultat_" + "*" + "_" + index[0]).listFiles (new FileFilter () {
                public boolean accept (File file) {
                    return ! file.isDirectory ();
          });All help appriciated
- Karl XII

Shouldn't "a*" accept all files that begins with "a" and ends with whatever?No. "*" in regexp is a not a wildcard match. Instead it matches one or more instances of the preceeding
value.
Therefore "a*" will match "a", "aa", "aaa", "aaaa" etc but will not match anything which does not end in
an "a".
The following might help you out. (not the most elegent expression but it will do
import java.util.regex.*;
public class RegExp{
public static void main(String[] args) {
Pattern p = Pattern.compile("a*b");
Matcher m = p.matcher("aaaab");
System.out.println(m.matches());
// interesting bit here
// match one or more occurances of any characters in the ASCII charset (the \\p{ASCII}* bit
p = Pattern.compile("hello_\\p{ASCII}*_b");
m = p.matcher("hello_wibble_b");
System.out.println(m.matches());
}

FileFilter error!!!How to use FileFilter??

I want to limit the JFileChooser to display only txt and java file. But the code I wrote has error and I don't know what's wrong with it. Can anyone help he to check it out. Thank you.
import java.io.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
public class FileFilterTest extends JPanel
     public static void main(String[] args)
          new FileFilterTest();
     public class fFilter implements FileFilter
          public boolean accept(File file)
               String name = file.getName();
               if(name.toLowerCase().endsWith(".java") || name.toLowerCase().endsWith(".txt"))
                    return true;
               else
                    return false;
     public FileFilterTest()
          JFileChooser fc = new JFileChooser();
          fc.setFileFilter(new fFilter());
          fc.setFileSelectionMode(JFileChooser.FILES_AND_DIRECTORIES);
          fc.setCurrentDirectory(new File(System.getProperty("user.dir")));
          //fc.setFileSelectionMode(JFileChooser.DIRECTORIES_ONLY);
          //fc.setMultiSelectionEnabled(true);
          int returnVal = fc.showDialog(FileFilterTest.this, "Open File");
          if(returnVal == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION)
               String file = fc.getSelectedFile().getPath();
               if(file == null)
                    return;
          else if(returnVal == JFileChooser.CANCEL_OPTION)
               System.exit(0);
          else
               System.exit(0);
          JFrame f = new JFrame();
          FileFilterTest ff = new FileFilterTest();
          f.setTitle("FileFilterTest");
          f.setBackground(Color.lightGray);
          f.getContentPane().add(ff, BorderLayout.CENTER);
          f.setSize(800, 500);
          f.setVisible(true);
}

hi,
This is the syntax
*EVALUATE('DB_Function(%1)' as returntype, {Comma separated Expression})*
Please check this post
Re: Syntax for Evaluate function in OBIEE

How to use FileFilter in JChooser

Hello
All i want to do is something simple like
having only txt files to show up in the dialog file list.
but am stuck with this error
{color:#ff0000}Cannot instantiate the type FileFilter{color}
any help will be much appreciated
thanks
package stage04;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.Date;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter;
import javax.swing.filechooser.FileView;
import stage02.Item;
import stage02.CD;
import stage02.DVD;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import stage03.ItemController;
import java.text.*;
import java.util.NoSuchElementException;
public class MainGui implements ActionListener {
public void openFile(){
JFileChooser fc = new JFileChooser(".");
FileFilter ff = new FileFilter();
ff.addExtension("txt");
fc.setFileFilter(ff);
fc.showDialog(fc,"Open");
}

That code won't compile.
I suggest you get rid of the ActionListener stuff since you haven't implemented that yet (and it has nothing to do with your current problem). And that you replace those imports with statements improting each of the classes you actualy use.
FileFilter - the one you mean - is an abstract class. There's an example of its usage at the start of the JFileChooser documentation. The Tutorial page linked to from there will also be useful.

Flex 4.6 mobile FileFilter in android....

hi everybody...
i have create one application in flex 4.6 for android...but i have problem with FileFilter in android don't read file .txt or pdf...this is my code:
private var fileTesti:File = new File();
private var filterTesto:FileFilter = new FileFilter("Text", "*.txt;");
protected function linkText(event:MouseEvent):void {
                                        fileTesti.addEventListener(Event.SELECT, onFileSelectText);
                                        fileTesti.browseForOpen("Apri");
private function onFileSelectText(event:Event):void {
                                        fileTesti.removeEventListener(Event.SELECT, onFileSelectText);
                                        txtTesto.text=(fileTesti.url);
the problem is in selected file...if write:
private var filterTesto:FileFilter = new FileFilter("Mp3", "*.mp3;");
no problem....but i have try to write this code:
private var filterTesto:FileFilter = new FileFilter("Text", "*.*;");
with this code, android select only files audio, image and video....
hot to do?????
help me please!!!!
i can't finish my application with problem....

You're not adding your filefilter as an argument of browseForOpen.
ie: browseForOpen("Apri", filterTesto);
But it might not make any difference:
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/834035
And from the actionscript refence:
"Note: On Android devices, the file dialog title cannot be set. The title parameter is ignored."

FileFilter????What's wrong with this code???HELP!!

I want to limit the JFileChooser to display only txt and java file. But the code I wrote has error and I don't know what's wrong with it. can anyone help me to check it out? Thank you.
import java.io.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
public class FileFilterTest extends JPanel
     public static void main(String[] args)
          new FileFilterTest();
     public class fFilter implements FileFilter
          public boolean accept(File file)
               String name = file.getName();
               if(name.toLowerCase().endsWith(".java") || name.toLowerCase().endsWith(".txt"))
                    return true;
               else
                    return false;
     public FileFilterTest()
          JFileChooser fc = new JFileChooser();
          fc.setFileFilter(new fFilter());
          fc.setFileSelectionMode(JFileChooser.FILES_AND_DIRECTORIES);
          fc.setCurrentDirectory(new File(System.getProperty("user.dir")));
          //fc.setFileSelectionMode(JFileChooser.DIRECTORIES_ONLY);
          //fc.setMultiSelectionEnabled(true);
          int returnVal = fc.showDialog(FileFilterTest.this, "Open File");
          if(returnVal == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION)
               String file = fc.getSelectedFile().getPath();
               if(file == null)
                    return;
          else if(returnVal == JFileChooser.CANCEL_OPTION)
               System.exit(0);
          else
               System.exit(0);
          JFrame f = new JFrame();
          FileFilterTest ff = new FileFilterTest();
          f.setTitle("FileFilterTest");
          f.setBackground(Color.lightGray);
          f.getContentPane().add(ff, BorderLayout.CENTER);
          f.setSize(800, 500);
          f.setVisible(true);
}

There are two file filters
class javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter
interface java.io.FileFilter
In Swing you need to make a class which extends the first one and implements the second. Sometimes you may not need to implement the second, but it is more versitle to do so and requires no extra work.

Filefilter for jfilechooser --Confused-

JFileChooser JFC=new JFileChooser();
JFC.setFileFilter(new ExeFileFilter());
class ExeFileFilter implements FileFilter
{          public boolean accept(File TheFile)
          if(TheFile.getName().endsWith("exe"))
          return true;
     return false;
}the above code doesnt work, tried several possibilities
can anyone help me??

what i want is that the JFilechooser show only exe
file..
helpdid you read the examples in JFilechooser Tutorial?
all you have to do is modify to it.
here's the code:
ImageFilter Class
import java.io.File;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.filechooser.*;
public class ImageFilter extends FileFilter {
    //Accept all directories and all gif, jpg, tiff, or png files.
    public boolean accept(File f) {
        if (f.isDirectory()) {
            return true;
        String extension = Utils.getExtension(f);
        if (extension != null) {
            if (extension.equals(Utils.tiff) ||
                extension.equals(Utils.tif) ||
                extension.equals(Utils.gif) ||
                extension.equals(Utils.jpeg) ||
                extension.equals(Utils.jpg) ||
                extension.equals(Utils.png)) {
                    return true;
            } else {
                return false;
        return false;
    //The description of this filter
    public String getDescription() {
        return "Just Images";
}Utils Class
import java.io.File;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
/* Utils.java is used by FileChooserDemo2.java. */
public class Utils {
    public final static String jpeg = "jpeg";
    public final static String jpg = "jpg";
    public final static String gif = "gif";
    public final static String tiff = "tiff";
    public final static String tif = "tif";
    public final static String png = "png";
     * Get the extension of a file.
    public static String getExtension(File f) {
        String ext = null;
        String s = f.getName();
        int i = s.lastIndexOf('.');
        if (i > 0 && i < s.length() - 1) {
            ext = s.substring(i+1).toLowerCase();
        return ext;
    /** Returns an ImageIcon, or null if the path was invalid. */
    protected static ImageIcon createImageIcon(String path) {
        java.net.URL imgURL = Utils.class.getResource(path);
        if (imgURL != null) {
            return new ImageIcon(imgURL);
        } else {
            System.err.println("Couldn't find file: " + path);
            return null;
}

FileFilter - display in different section

Hi,
I am working with a JFileChooser and a FileFilter. The FileFilter allows you to open xml or dtd files. However, I want the files to be displayed in different areas - xml file in one text area and the dtd file in another.
private void openFile() {
            JFileChooser fc = new JFileChooser(".");
        ExampleFileFilter filter = new ExampleFileFilter("xml");
        filter.setDescription("XML Files");
        fc.addChoosableFileFilter(filter);
        filter = new ExampleFileFilter("dtd");
        filter.setDescription("DTD Files");
        fc.addChoosableFileFilter(filter);
        filter = new ExampleFileFilter("xml");
        filter.addExtension("dtd");
        filter.setDescription("XML and DTD Files");
        fc.addChoosableFileFilter(filter);
            int returnVal = fc.showOpenDialog(this);
            if (returnVal == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
                 File file = fc.getSelectedFile();
                 try {
                        if(filter.addExtension().equals("xml")){   //???????????
                              tpr.textArea.read(new FileReader(file), null);
                       else if (filter.addExtension().equals("dtd")){ //?????????
                              tpr.browserArea.read(new FileReader(file), null);
                    else {
                              System.out.println("This isn't working");
                 } catch (IOException exp) {}
           } Any help would be great!

anyone got any ideas?

FileFilter for executable files

I'm trying to make a FileFilter that only accepts executable files and directories. My attempt is shown below:
    public boolean accept(File f)
        if(f.isDirectory())
            return true;
        SecurityManager sm = new SecurityManager();
        try
            System.out.println(f.getPath());
            sm.checkExec(f.getPath());
        } catch (SecurityException e) {
            return false;
        return true;
    }This isn't returning anything but directories. It also strikes me as odd that the SecurityManager works by throwing exceptions, when it isn't really exceptional to have a file not be executable.
Any help here would be appreciated.

I wanted something that would work on any system. I figured that this functionality should exist simply because it is useful. As for the argument that it is too OS specific, I disagree. Every developed OS has some means for determining if a file is an executable program. Just as the Graphics package is supported on multiple systems despite different implementations, I believe that filetype identification could be done in the JREs.
But it looks like it isn't done. That appears to be the answer to my question.

Is it possible to add multiple extensions to a filefilter ?

Hello :
I'd want to do something like this :
FileFilter filter = new FileNameExtensionFilter("Various extensions", "jpg, gif, eps");
FileFilter filter = new FileNameExtensionFilter("Various extensions", "jpg; gif; eps");
But It does not work ....
I know I can make a subclass of filter, but I ask if can be possible to do a simple filter like the examples
Thanks

tonnot wrote:
Hello :
I'd want to do something like this :
FileFilter filter = new FileNameExtensionFilter("Various extensions", "jpg, gif, eps");
FileFilter filter = new FileNameExtensionFilter("Various extensions", "jpg; gif; eps");
But It does not work ....
I know I can make a subclass of filter, but I ask if can be possible to do a simple filter like the examples
ThanksAccording to the JavaDocs it uses varargs to take multiple parameters: Documentation
So in your example it would be:
FileFilter filter = new FileNameExtensionFilter("Various extensions", "jpg", "gif", "eps");

Help with Interface, FileFilter/FileNameFilter

I need some help with FileFilter/FileNameFilter i a part of a search engine.
If you type "-s" as argument + suffixes you want to filter, then they are added to a list as you can see...But how to use a filter? I know that i need a new class that implements FileFilter, but how is it supposed to look, and how do i use in my particular application? i should use accept as its required by the filename filter, yes?
can you please write the whole class as i'm quite sure its not that long...and how to use in my app...
And please comment other things in the code if you find any errors...thanks!
//Viktor from Sweden!
import java.io.File;
import java.util.LinkedList;
    This class prints the paths of all files (if -d flag i set),
    also recursively if -r flag is set.
<p>
    You can also filter files by writing -s flag and suffixes.
public class PrintNonDirectories {
        @param args Flags:
    <p>
        -d: Searches specified directory.
    <p>
        -r: Searches recursively.
    <P>
        -s: Filtering specified file extensions.
    public static void main (String[] args) {
        // Creates a list of suffixes.
        LinkedList <String> suffixes = new LinkedList <String>();
        File inputFile = new File(".");
        // Set the flags to false by default.
        boolean recursive = false;
        boolean directory = false;
        boolean suffix = false;
        // Check all arguments.
        for (int i = 0; i<args.length; i++) {
            if (args.equals("-d")) {
if (!directory) {
// Check if "-d" is followed by a valid path.
if (i+1 < args.length && !args[i+1].startsWith("-")) {
directory = true;
String someDir = args[i+1];
inputFile = new File(someDir);
i++;
else {
System.out.println("'-d' must be followed by a valid path");
System.exit(0);
else {
System.out.println("You wrote '-d' too many times");
System.exit(0);
else if (args[i].equals("-r")) {
if (!recursive) {
recursive = true;
else {
System.out.println("You wrote '-r' too many times");
System.exit(0);
else if (args[i].equals("-s")) {
if (!suffix) {
suffix = true;
// Check if "-s" is followed by valid file-extensions.
if (i+2>args.length || args[i+1].startsWith("-")) {
System.out.println("You must write at least one extension/file suffix");
System.exit(0);
else {
// Add suffixes.
for (i = i+1; i<args.length && !args[i].startsWith("-"); i++) {
suffixes.add(args[i]);
else {
System.out.println("You wrote '-s' too many times");
System.exit(0);
else {
System.out.println("Wrong argument");
System.exit(0);
if (inputFile.isDirectory()) {
listFiles(inputFile, recursive);
else {
System.out.println("Not a directory");
// Method lists the path of all files.
private static void listFiles (File f, boolean recursive) {
File[] filesInDir = f.listFiles();
for (File FileInDir : filesInDir) {
if (FileInDir.canRead()) {
if (FileInDir.isFile()) {
System.out.println(FileInDir.getPath());
} else if (recursive) {
listFiles(FileInDir, true);
else {
System.out.println("A file could not be read, you may not have access to the file");

Yes, i know that i must implement the accept method, but how do i use the list that i got from my file, to add all the suffixes?
i've read like
return filname.toLowerCase().endsWith(".jpg")
but how do i get from my list to use like,
return filname.toLowerCase().endsWith(".txt")||filname.toLowerCase().endsWith(".doc")
and so on?
shoud i use a constructor to get my suffixes list?
should i use a for loop to try for all the diffrent file extensions each time?
smthn like
public class SuffixFilter implements FilenameFilter {
    public SuffixFilter(LinkedList<String> suffixes) {
    public boolean accept (File dir, String name){
        for(int i = 0; i<suffixes.size(); i++)
                if(name.endsWith("suffixes.get(i))
                        return true;
                 else
                        return false;
{code}

What pattern is followed when using FileFilter for filtering files ?

Hi All,
FileFilter is used to filter files according to the condition specified.
for example the code is
FileFilter fileFilter = new FileFilter(){
public boolean accept(File inFile) {
// To return whether it is a file
return inFile.isFile();
// To return whether it ends with any extension.
// for example ends with .txt
// return inName.endsWith("txt");
File[] files = file.listFiles(fileFilter);
Here FileFilter is an interface.File is a class. What pattern is followed in this operation ? does it follows - similar to any design pattern in Java ? this implementation is similar to adding an ActionListener(like an Inner Class) to a button.
for example
Button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
Thanks,
J.Kathir

I am using a FileFilter with the following extension "*.doc". The
getDescription() method for that extension returns "Microsoft Word
Document", which is what gets displayed in the "Files of Type"
dropdown. My problem is that if the user enter a wildcard (*) in the
"File Name" field and hit enter, it changes the "Files of Type" drop
down to that as well.
How do you prevent the "Files of Type" selection from changing when
using wildcard?

FileFilter

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