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javajfilechooserfilefilter

Set a new JFileChooser FileFilter and reset previous ones

I want a file filter with 2 options, one to show all files and the other to show a specific extension.

The specific extension should be the one selected by default.

I'm using the same JFileChooser twice, the first time to show .fas files, and the second to show .xls files.

Right now I'm using this code, but for some reasons it does not overwrite previous file extensions. Many answers here on SO have similar code and exactly the same problem, if you recycle your JFileChooser.

First portion, everything works

fileChooser.setFileFilter(new javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter() {
    @Override
    public boolean accept(File file) {
        return file.isDirectory() || file.getAbsolutePath().endsWith(".fas");
    }

    @Override
    public String getDescription() {
        return "Fasta";
    }
});
// more modern API, same result
// fileChooser.setFileFilter(new FileNameExtensionFilter("File fasta", "fas"));

Second portion. This is used in a second "opening" of the same JFileChooser. It seems like it just adds a filter (the option to select .fas files remains).

// delete name of previously selected file
File currentDirectory = fileChooser.getCurrentDirectory();
fileChooser.setSelectedFile(new File(""));
fileChooser.setCurrentDirectory(currentDirectory);

// set new file filter
fileChooser.setFileFilter(new javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter() {
    @Override
    public boolean accept(File file) {
        return file.isDirectory() || file.getAbsolutePath().endsWith(".xls");
    }

    @Override
    public String getDescription() {
        return "Excel 97";
    }
});
// more modern API, same result
// fileChooser.setFileFilter(new FileNameExtensionFilter("Excel 97", "xls"));

Solution

  • I guess the name setFileFilter can be misleading, because what it does in reality is set the selected file filter (without replacing the other filters).

    If you want to recycle your JFileChooser, the simplest solution is to make a call to resetChoosableFileFilters() before setting the new filters.

    Code for the first selection

    fileChooser.setFileFilter(new FileNameExtensionFilter("File fasta", "fas"));

    Code for the second selection

    // delete name of previously selected file, but stay in the same directory
File currentDirectory = fileChooser.getCurrentDirectory();
fileChooser.setSelectedFile(new File(""));
fileChooser.setCurrentDirectory(currentDirectory);

// reset current file filters
fileChooser.resetChoosableFileFilters();

// set new file filter
fileChooser.setFileFilter(new FileNameExtensionFilter("Excel 97", "xls"));

// the "All files" filter will be present too, unless you uncomment this
// fileChooser.setAcceptAllFileFilterUsed(false);