Introduction
In this article I describe how to create a Windows Store App to pick a file from a Home Group Location using JavaScript. Home Group is one of the known locations that can be suggested to the file picker as a starting location. The file picker will open at the last opened location and not always the suggested location. Go up to the top level or select the Home Group in the file picker menu to browse the Home Group namespace. Home Group will only be available if the PC belongs to a home group.
I assume you can create a simple Windows Store App using JavaScript. For more help visit Simple Windows Store Apps using JavaScript.
To start the creation of the app, add two JavaScript pages by right-clicking on the js folder in the Solution Explorer and select Add > new item > JavaScript Page and then give an appropriate name. In the same way, add one HTML page to your project.
![home-group-in-windows-store-apps.jpg]()
Write the following code in default.html:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<title>App</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="//Microsoft.WinJS.1.0/css/ui-light.css" />
<script src="//Microsoft.WinJS.1.0/js/base.js"></script>
<script src="//Microsoft.WinJS.1.0/js/ui.js"></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/default.css" />
<script src="/js/script1.js"></script>
<script src="/js/default.js"></script>
</head>
<body role="application" style="background-color: lightslategrey">
<center><div id="rootGrid">
<div id="content">
<h1 id="featureLabel"></h1>
<div id="contentHost"></div>
</div>
</div></center>
</body>
</html>
Write the following code in default.js:
(function () {
"use strict";
var appTitle = "";
var pages = [
{ url: "page.html" }
];
function activated(eventObject) {
if (eventObject.detail.kind === Windows.ApplicationModel.Activation.ActivationKind.launch) {
eventObject.setPromise(WinJS.UI.processAll().then(function () {
var url = WinJS.Application.sessionState.lastUrl || pages[0].url;
return WinJS.Navigation.navigate(url);
}));
}
}
WinJS.Navigation.addEventListener("navigated", function (eventObject) {
var url = eventObject.detail.location;
var host = document.getElementById("contentHost");
host.winControl && host.winControl.unload && host.winControl.unload();
WinJS.Utilities.empty(host);
eventObject.detail.setPromise(WinJS.UI.Pages.render(url, host, eventObject.detail.state).then(function () {
WinJS.Application.sessionState.lastUrl = url;
}));
});
function ensureUnsnapped() {
var currentState = Windows.UI.ViewManagement.ApplicationView.value;
var unsnapped = ((currentState !== Windows.UI.ViewManagement.ApplicationViewState.snapped) || Windows.UI.ViewManagement.ApplicationView.tryUnsnap());
if (!unsnapped) {
WinJS.log && WinJS.log("Cannot unsnap the app application.", "app", "status");
}
return unsnapped;
}
WinJS.Namespace.define("App", {
appTitle: appTitle,
pages: pages,
ensureUnsnapped: ensureUnsnapped
});
WinJS.Application.addEventListener("activated", activated, false);
WinJS.Application.start();
})();
Write the following code in page.html:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title></title>
<script src="/js/script.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<div data-win-control="App.pageInput">
<button class="action" id="OpenItemPicker">
Open picker
</button>
<br />
<br />
</div>
<div data-win-control="App.pageOutput">
</div>
</body>
</html>
Write the following code in script.js:
(function () {
"use strict";
var page = WinJS.UI.Pages.define("page.html", {
ready: function (element, options) {
document.getElementById("OpenItemPicker").addEventListener("click", openPickerAtHomeGroup, false);
}
});
function openPickerAtHomeGroup() {
if (App.ensureUnsnapped()) {
var picker = new Windows.Storage.Pickers.FileOpenPicker();
picker.viewMode = Windows.Storage.Pickers.PickerViewMode.thumbnail;
picker.suggestedStartLocation = Windows.Storage.Pickers.PickerLocationId.homeGroup;
picker.fileTypeFilter.replaceAll(["*"]);
picker.pickSingleFileAsync().done(function (file) {
if (file) {
WinJS.log && WinJS.log("1 file selected: \"" + file.path + "\"", "app", "status");
}
},
function (file) {
WinJS.log && WinJS.log("File was not returned", "app", "error");
});
}
}
})();
Write the following code in script1.js:
(function () {
var pageOutput = WinJS.Class.define(
function (element, options) {
element.winControl = this;
this.element = element;
new WinJS.Utilities.QueryCollection(element)
.setAttribute("role", "region")
.setAttribute("aria-labelledby", "outputLabel")
.setAttribute("aria-live", "assertive");
element.id = "output";
this._addOutputLabel(element);
this._addStatusOutput(element);
}, {
_addOutputLabel: function (element) {
var label = document.createElement("h2");
label.id = "outputLabel";
label.textContent = "Output";
element.parentNode.insertBefore(label, element);
},
_addStatusOutput: function (element) {
var statusDiv = document.createElement("div");
statusDiv.id = "statusMessage";
element.insertBefore(statusDiv, element.childNodes[0]);
}
}
);
var currentpageUrl = null;
WinJS.Navigation.addEventListener("navigating", function (evt) {
currentpageUrl = evt.detail.location;
});
WinJS.log = function (message, tag, type) {
var statusDiv = document.getElementById("statusMessage");
};
function activated(e) {
WinJS.Utilities.query("#featureLabel")[0].textContent = App.appTitle;
}
WinJS.Application.addEventListener("activated", activated, false);
WinJS.Namespace.define("App", {
pageOutput: pageOutput
});
})();
Output:
![homegroup-in-windows-store-apps.jpg]()
![homes-group-in-windows-store-apps.jpg]()
Summary
In this app I described how to pick a file from the Home Group Location in a Windows Store App using JavaScript. I hope this article has helped you to understand this topic. Please share if you know more about this. Your feedback and constructive contributions are welcome.