Introduction

This tip explains how to use read only option in Vista common file dialog. In Windows Vista, the common file dialog has no Read-only check box.

Background

Using the Code

Use the following code to add read-only to Open file dialog:

void CMainFrame::OnFileOpen()
{
CFileDialog dlgOpen(TRUE, NULL, NULL,
OFN_ALLOWMULTISELECT | OFN_EXPLORER | OFN_DONTADDTORECENT | OFN_PATHMUSTEXIST | OFN_FILEMUSTEXIST | OFN_ENABLESIZING,
_T("All Files (*.*)|*.*||"));

OSVERSIONINFO vi;
vi.dwOSVersionInfoSize = sizeof(OSVERSIONINFO);
::GetVersionEx(&vi);
BOOL bVista = (vi.dwMajorVersion >= 6);

if (bVista)
{
     IFileDialogCustomize* pCustomize = dlgOpen.GetIFileDialogCustomize();
     if (pCustomize != NULL)
     {
            pCustomize->EnableOpenDropDown(1);
            pCustomize->AddControlItem(1, 1, _T("Open"));
            pCustomize->AddControlItem(1, 2, _T("Open as read-only"));
            pCustomize->Release();
      }
}

if (dlgOpen.DoModal() == IDOK)
{
     BOOL bReadOnly = FALSE;

     if (bVista)
     {
          IFileDialogCustomize* pCustomize = dlgOpen.GetIFileDialogCustomize();
          if (pCustomize != NULL)
          {
              DWORD dwID;
              pCustomize->GetSelectedControlItem(1, &dwID);
              pCustomize->Release();
              bReadOnly = (dwID == 2);
          }
      }
     else
     {
          bReadOnly = dlgOpen.GetReadOnlyPref();
      }

      CString str;
      POSITION pos = dlgOpen.GetStartPosition();
      while (pos != NULL)
      {
           CString strFileName = dlgOpen.GetNextPathName(pos);
           str.FormatMessage(IDS_MESSAGE_OPENING, strFileName);
           SetMessageText(str);
           OpenDocumentFile(strFileName, bReadOnly);
      }

      SetMessageText(AFX_IDS_IDLEMESSAGE);
    }
}

Important code line is as follows:

IFileDialogCustomize* pCustomize = dlgOpen.GetIFileDialogCustomize(); 
if (pCustomize != NULL) 
{ 
pCustomize->EnableOpenDropDown(1); 
pCustomize->AddControlItem(1, 1, _T("Open")); // First item label set as open button caption
pCustomize->AddControlItem(1, 2, _T("Open as read-only")); 
pCustomize->Release(); // Don't forget to release
}