# Native File Open Dialogs

DevFeed: [Native File Open Dialogs](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/native-file-open-dialogs-19392.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.codenameone.com/blog/native-file-open-dialogs/>)

Author: Steve Hannah

Published: 2016-11-16T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [CodeName One](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/codename-one.md>)

Topics: [Mobile](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/mobile.md>), [API](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/api.md>), [Library](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/library.md>)

Tags: [android](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/android.md>), [api](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/api.md>), [files](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/files.md>), [ios](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ios.md>), [library](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/library.md>), [mobile](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mobile.md>), [ocr](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ocr.md>), [pdf](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/pdf.md>), [platforms](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/platforms.md>), [windows](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/windows.md>)

## AI overview

This tutorial introduces Codename One's cn1-filechooser library for opening arbitrary file types, including PDFs and images, across supported mobile, desktop, simulator, JavaScript, and Windows platforms. It explains the file-type filter syntax and describes platform-specific file browsing behavior.

## Source excerpt

Codename One has always provided access to the device's photos and videos via Display.openGallery() but it hasn't provided an API to open arbitrary file types because this type of functionality was not available on most mobile platforms. Times have changed and most platforms now offer support for more than just images and photos, so we decided to provide access to this functionality as a cn1lib. Here is a short introduction to the cn1-filechooser library.