SystemDialogInput

SystemDialogInput["type"]

brings up an interactive system dialog and returns the value chosen in the dialog.

SystemDialogInput["type",init]

uses init as the initial setting in the dialog.

Details and Options

  • Possible types include:
  • "Color"color picker dialog
    "Directory"directory dialog
    "FileOpen"file open dialog
    "FileSave"file save dialog
    "RecordAudio"record audio dialog
    "RecordSound"record sound dialog
  • When SystemDialogInput is evaluated, the Wolfram System stops until the dialog has been dismissed, and a result returned.
  • If the dialog is canceled, SystemDialogInput returns $Canceled.
  • Many dialog types allow the option WindowTitle to be given.
  • For "FileOpen" and "FileSave", filters for files can be specified in the form SystemDialogInput[…,{init,{"type1"->{"patt11","patt12",…},"type2"->{…},…}}], analogous to FileNameSetter.
  • "RecordSound" is not supported on all platforms.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (3)

Put up a system color picker dialog, returning the color picked:

Put up a system file open dialog, returning the name of the file chosen:

Use the system sound recording dialog:

Scope  (4)

Specify a file as the suggested file name:

Specify a suggested directory and file name:

Restrict the files shown to be Wolfram System notebooks:

Specify file types and patterns:

Options  (1)

WindowTitle  (1)

Change the default window title:

Applications  (1)

Automatically generate a reminder to save every seconds:

Properties & Relations  (1)

FileNameSetter also opens and saves files, but waits for a click from the user:

Wolfram Research (2007), SystemDialogInput, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SystemDialogInput.html (updated 2017).

Text

Wolfram Research (2007), SystemDialogInput, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SystemDialogInput.html (updated 2017).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2007. "SystemDialogInput." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2017. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SystemDialogInput.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2007). SystemDialogInput. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SystemDialogInput.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_systemdialoginput, author="Wolfram Research", title="{SystemDialogInput}", year="2017", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SystemDialogInput.html}", note=[Accessed: 26-April-2025 ]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_systemdialoginput, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={SystemDialogInput}, year={2017}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/SystemDialogInput.html}, note=[Accessed: 26-April-2025 ]}