Tkinter tkFileDialog module


tkFileDialog is a module with open and save dialog functions.
Instead of implementing those in Tkinter GUI on your own.

Related courses
Python Desktop Apps with Tkinter

Overview
An overview of file dialogs:

Function Parameters Purpose
.askopenfilename Directory, Title, Extension To open file: Dialog that requests selection of an existing file.
.asksaveasfilename Directory, Title, Extension) To save file: Dialog that requests creation or replacement of a file.
.askdirectory None To open directory

Tkinter Open File

The askopenfilename function to creates an file dialog object. The extensions are shown in the bottom of the form (Files of type). The code below will simply show the dialog and return the filename.  If a user presses cancel the filename is empty. On a Windows machine change the initialdir to “C:\”.

Python 2.7 version:

from Tkinter import *from Tkinter import *
import Tkinter, Tkconstants, tkFileDialog
 
root = Tk()
root.filename = tkFileDialog.askopenfilename(initialdir = "/",title = "Select file",filetypes = (("jpeg files","*.jpg"),("all files","*.*")))
print (root.filename)

Python 3 version:

from tkinter import filedialog
from tkinter import *
 
root = Tk()
root.filename =  filedialog.askopenfilename(initialdir = "/",title = "Select file",filetypes = (("jpeg files","*.jpg"),("all files","*.*")))
print (root.filename)

Here is an example (on Linux):

tkfiledialog Tkinter askopenfilename
tkfiledialog Tkinter askopenfilename

Tkinter Save File

The asksaveasfilename function prompts the user with a save file dialog.

Python 2.7 version

from Tkinter import *
import Tkinter, Tkconstants, tkFileDialog
 
root = Tk()
root.filename = tkFileDialog.asksaveasfilename(initialdir = "/",title = "Select file",filetypes = (("jpeg files","*.jpg"),("all files","*.*")))
print (root.filename)

Python 3 version

from tkinter import filedialog
from tkinter import *
 
root = Tk()
root.filename =  filedialog.asksaveasfilename(initialdir = "/",title = "Select file",filetypes = (("jpeg files","*.jpg"),("all files","*.*")))
print (root.filename)

Tkinter Open Directory

The askdirectory presents the user with a popup for directory selection.

Python 2.7 version

from  Tkinter import *
import Tkinter, Tkconstants, tkFileDialog
root = Tk()
root.directory = tkFileDialog.askdirectory()
print (root.directory)
tkinter-askdirectory
tkinter askdirectory
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2 thoughts on “Tkinter tkFileDialog module”

  1. bill hunter - January 21, 2018

    This guide mixes up askopenfilename and askopenfile. The text describes askopenfile, but the example immediately following shows askopenfilename. They should both be documented, but this hybrid half&half guide can easily trip a few people up.

    1. Frank - March 11, 2018

      Thanks Bill! I’ve modified the article

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