PromptPlus

# PromptPlus ## **MultiFile — Methods** [](https://www.nuget.org/packages/PromptPlus) [](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT) [](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/)

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Every fluent method on IMultiFileControl. Each returns the same control instance, so calls chain in any order. Call Run last.

The factory is PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile(string prompt = "", string? description = null), which returns IMultiFileControl.

Quick jump: Root · SearchPattern · OnlyFolders · ShowHidden · ShowSystem · SelectFilesOnly · CascadeCheck · RecursiveMarkWithCtrlSpace · Range · PredicateChecked · PredicateCheckedAsync · HideSize · ShowFullPath · PageSize · Default · EnableHistory · Styles · Options · Run

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Choosing the root

Root

IMultiFileControl Root(string path)

Sets the folder the tree starts at. When not set, the current directory (Directory.GetCurrentDirectory()) is used. Point it at a drive root (e.g. C:\) to browse a whole volume.

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check").Root(@"C:\Projects").Run();

Throws ArgumentNullException if path is null.

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Filtering what is listed

SearchPattern

IMultiFileControl SearchPattern(string pattern)

Filters files by a wildcard pattern; directories are always listed so the tree can be navigated. Default is * (all files).

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check C# files")
    .Root(root)
    .SearchPattern("*.cs")
    .Run();

Throws ArgumentNullException if pattern is null.

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OnlyFolders

IMultiFileControl OnlyFolders(bool value = true)

Lists directories only, hiding all files.

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check folders").Root(root).OnlyFolders().Run();

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ShowHidden

IMultiFileControl ShowHidden(bool value = true)

Includes entries marked with the Hidden attribute. Hidden by default.

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ShowSystem

IMultiFileControl ShowSystem(bool value = true)

Includes entries marked with the System attribute. Hidden by default.

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Check rules

SelectFilesOnly

IMultiFileControl SelectFilesOnly(bool value = true)

Restricts checking to files. Folders can still be expanded and browsed, but they cannot be checked.

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check files")
    .Root(root)
    .SearchPattern("*.cs")
    .SelectFilesOnly()
    .Run();

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CascadeCheck

IMultiFileControl CascadeCheck(bool value = true)

When true (default), checking or unchecking a folder propagates the new state to all its descendants (files and subfolders). When false, only the folder itself is toggled. Works together with RecursiveMarkWithCtrlSpace to decide whether recursive marking is available and which key triggers it.

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check (no cascade)")
    .Root(root)
    .CascadeCheck(false)   // Space marks folders as single items
    .Run();

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RecursiveMarkWithCtrlSpace

IMultiFileControl RecursiveMarkWithCtrlSpace(bool value = true)

Moves the recursive folder marking to Ctrl+Space. When enabled, plain Space only toggles the checked state of the focused entry; the recursive select/unselect-everything-under-the-folder action happens on Ctrl+Space. When disabled (default), plain Space performs the recursive selection on folders (if CascadeCheck is true).

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Space=item, Ctrl+Space=recursive")
    .Root(root)
    .RecursiveMarkWithCtrlSpace()
    .Run();

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Range

IMultiFileControl Range(int minvalue, int? maxvalue = null)

Sets the minimum and (optionally) maximum number of items that must be checked before Enter confirms. Pass null for maxvalue to leave the upper bound unlimited.

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check between 2 and 4 items")
    .Root(root)
    .Range(2, 4)
    .Run();

Throws ArgumentOutOfRangeException when minvalue is greater than maxvalue.

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Validating a check

A predicate decides whether an individual FileItem may be checked. For a single toggle a rejection shows the optional message as an error; during mass selections (recursive folder, wildcard, or check-all) rejected items are silently skipped. Setting a predicate replaces any previously set one (sync or async).

PredicateChecked

IMultiFileControl PredicateChecked(Func<FileItem, bool> validselect)
IMultiFileControl PredicateChecked(Func<FileItem, (bool, string?)> validselect)

Overload	Return	Behavior
Func<FileItem, bool>	true = checkable	Default message on rejection
Func<FileItem, (bool, string?)>	(isValid, message)	Custom message on rejection

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check large files only")
    .Root(root)
    .PredicateChecked(f => f.IsDirectory || f.Length > 1024
        ? (true, null)
        : (false, "File is too small"))
    .Run();

Throws ArgumentNullException if validselect is null.

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PredicateCheckedAsync

IMultiFileControl PredicateCheckedAsync(Func<FileItem, Task<bool>> validselect)
IMultiFileControl PredicateCheckedAsync(Func<FileItem, Task<(bool, string?)>> validselect)

Asynchronous counterparts.

⚠️ For an individual toggle the predicate is awaited synchronously (blocking) on the UI thread. During a recursive folder (wildcard) selection it runs on a background thread while enumerating the subtree, so it must be thread-safe and must not touch UI state.

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Layout & display

HideSize

IMultiFileControl HideSize(bool value = true)

Hides the file-size column shown next to files.

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ShowFullPath

IMultiFileControl ShowFullPath(bool value = true)

Sets whether the summary shows the full path or just the entry name for each checked item. Default is to show only the name. The user can flip this at runtime with the full-path hotkey (Shift+F3).

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check (short names)")
    .Root(root)
    .ShowFullPath(false)
    .Run();

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PageSize

IMultiFileControl PageSize(byte value)

Rows visible at once (valid range 0–255). 0 (default) auto-fits to the console height, reserving lines for the header, footer, and pagination.

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check").Root(root).PageSize(12).Run();

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Initial values

Default

IMultiFileControl Default(IEnumerable<string> fullPaths, bool useDefaultHistory = true)

Pre-checks the supplied paths, expanding the tree down to the first one when it lies under the root. When useDefaultHistory is true and history is enabled, stored values may override these defaults.

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Pre-checked defaults")
    .Root(root)
    .Default([@"C:\Projects\a.cs", @"C:\Projects\b.cs"])
    .Run();

Throws ArgumentNullException if fullPaths is null.

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History

EnableHistory

IMultiFileControl EnableHistory(string filename, Action<IHistoryOptions>? options = null)

Persists the confirmed paths to filename and can restore them as the defaults on the next run (the tree expands to the first). The IHistoryOptions builder is identical to the one documented for Input → EnableHistory (MinPrefixLength, MaxItems, ExpirationTime, FilterType, PageSize).

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check (remembered)")
    .Root(root)
    .EnableHistory("multifile-history")
    .Run();

Throws ArgumentNullException if filename is null.

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Appearance & behavior

Styles

IMultiFileControl Styles(MultiFileStyles styleType, Style style)

Recolors one visual region of this control. See the region list and examples on the Styles page.

using PromptPlusLibrary;
using ConsolePlusLibrary;   // Color, Style live here
PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check").Root(root)
    .Styles(MultiFileStyles.FileTypeFolder, new Style(Color.Cyan, Color.Default))
    .Run();

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Options

IMultiFileControl Options(Action<IControlOptions> options)

Overrides global behaviors for this one control (prompt/description text, abort key, tooltip, hide-after-finish). See Global Behaviors → Per-Control Override.

PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check").Root(root)
    .Options(opt =>
    {
        opt.ShowTooltip(true);
        opt.EnabledAbortKey(true);
        opt.HideAfterFinish(false);
    })
    .Run();

Throws ArgumentNullException if options is null.

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Running the control

Run

ResultPrompt<FileItem[]> Run(CancellationToken token = default)

Renders the tree and blocks until the user confirms (Enter) or aborts (Esc). Returns ResultPrompt<FileItem[]>; .Content is an empty array when aborted.

var result = PromptPlus.Controls.MultiFile("Check").Root(root).Run();
if (!result.IsAborted)
    foreach (var f in result.Content)
        PromptPlus.Console.WriteLine(f.FullPath);

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See also

• Operations — how these methods behave at runtime
• Styles — the MultiFileStyles regions
• Index — overview and method map
• File → Methods — the single-selection sibling

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