Winforms – How does one display thumbnail images for TGA files with OpenFileDialog

openfiledialogpreviewthumbnailswindows 7winforms

Is it possible to show TGA thumbnails in OpenFileDialog? When using the System.Windows.Controls.OpenFileDialog control to browse image folders Windows 7, it will show preview thumbnails icons for JPG, PNG, or BMP image files. Unfortunately, Windows does not show previews for TGA files. However, Windows does show TGA preview thumbnails in Windows Explorer. Is there an extension or setting that will show TGA thumbnails in OpenFileDialog?

OpenFileDialog shows thumbnails for JPG files:
OpenFileDialog with JPGs

OpenFileDialog does NOT show TGA thumbnails:
OpenFileDialog with JPGs

However, Explorer DOES show TGA thumbnails:
OpenFileDialog with JPGs

Best Answer

An artist at my company provided a solution. Windows 7 has no built-in support for TGA thumbnails, but there are 3rd party applications such as MysticThumbs that add support for TGA files. In fact, the only reason Windows Explorer showed TGA thumbs in my example was because I had MysticThumbs installed. However, the application's OpenFileDialog did not show thumbnails because it was a 32-bit application and I had installed the 64-bit version of MysticThumbs. I installed the 32-bit version of MysticThumbs in addition to the 64-bit version, and now I see TGA thumbnails in both Windows Explorer and my 32-bit application.

Related Solutions

C++ – explorer get image’s thumbnail really fast, how does it work

Explorer is probably using the Exif embedded jpg thumbnail.

Take a look at a simple Exif Image Viewer to confirm that the images you're using contain an embedded thumbnail.

C# – Open file dialog and select a file using WPF controls and C#

Something like that should be what you need

private void button1_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    // Create OpenFileDialog 
    Microsoft.Win32.OpenFileDialog dlg = new Microsoft.Win32.OpenFileDialog();



    // Set filter for file extension and default file extension 
    dlg.DefaultExt = ".png";
    dlg.Filter = "JPEG Files (*.jpeg)|*.jpeg|PNG Files (*.png)|*.png|JPG Files (*.jpg)|*.jpg|GIF Files (*.gif)|*.gif"; 


    // Display OpenFileDialog by calling ShowDialog method 
    Nullable<bool> result = dlg.ShowDialog();


    // Get the selected file name and display in a TextBox 
    if (result == true)
    {
        // Open document 
        string filename = dlg.FileName;
        textBox1.Text = filename;
    }
}

Best Answer

Related Solutions

C++ – explorer get image’s thumbnail really fast, how does it work

C# – Open file dialog and select a file using WPF controls and C#

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