Can I somehow launch to a Windows File Explorer location

[Griff]

I can easily create a field in appsheet that defines a windows file path, but is it possible to set it up so that I can click on that field and have it lauch File explorer. I have tried “Open a File” action but it tries to open with a web browser and that won’t work with a Windows folder location.
Or perhaps is it possible to create an action that will save the field value into the clipboard so I can quickly paste into File Explorer?

[Steve · Accepted solution]

Griff:

I have tried “Open a File” action but it tries to open with a web browser and that won’t work with a Windows folder location.

Have you tried using a file: URL? I don’t know if it’ll work.

What are you trying to accomplish?

Griff:

Or perhaps is it possible to create an action that will save the field value into the clipboard so I can quickly paste into File Explorer?

Not possible.

[Griff]

Hi Steve, yes I’ve tried configuring the VF as both File and URL but neither will work.

As the final part of our package I need to be able to input data into accounting package. I’ve set it up to display all DaySheets associated with an order but I need to be able to look at the actual Day sheets that are filed on our PC. The idea is to be able to click on the link and go straight to the folder holding them. I was hoping there might be an easy way of doing it. Sounds like not.

Thanks for the input

[Steve]

Not File column type, file: URL:

en.wikipedia.org

file URI scheme

The File URI Scheme is a URI scheme defined in .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-li...

[Griff]

Steve, I’ve seen that format used before but I never understood how it worked, or that it was even a standard until you showed me here. Thank you very much!

[Griff]

Hi Steve, Just making sure I understand the limitations. I tried changing the Column to a URL Type and the value of the column into the format sampled in Wikepedia. When I click on the link it opens an Index of D:… in a web browser on my PC, not File Explorer. Is that how it’s meant to work? Or am I still missing something, like perhaps one or more sets of quotation marks?

[Steve]

I would expect it to open the listing in the browser. I don’t believe there’s a way to open the operating system’s filesystem browser. To the best of my knowledge, opening it in the web browser is the best you can do.

[Griff]

Thanks for confirming