Can't get directory from external device

Question

I'm trying to get the items from within a folder on an Android phone.

However the FolderBrowserDialog won't let me select a folder from within in the phone. The path looks like this This PC\Xperia Z3 Compact\SD Card\Music

To select a folder I'm currently using:

private void button_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog dlg = new System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog();
    if (dlg.ShowDialog() == System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK)
    {
        UserFolderLocation = dlg.SelectedPath;
    }
    else { }
}

Then when searching the folder for its contents I use:

try
{
    folderItems = Directory.GetFiles(directory).Select(f => Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(f)).ToArray();
}
catch (Exception e)
{
    MessageBox.Show(e.ToString());
}

If I insert the path This PC\Xperia Z3 Compact\SD Card\Music as a variable then search it, it throws a System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException.

How do I select and use a path that doesn't begin with c:, d: etc?

Answer 1

In the end I ended up using the shell32 library. It has the ability to handle portable devices (That both include and don't include the drive letters).

Include the reference for shell32.dll and include the library:

using Shell32;

Then instead of using the FolderBrowserDialog I used the use the shell browse for folder. Which returns a strange path for a folder on a phone, for the phone I used to test the path looked like this: ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\\\?\usb#vid_04e8&pid_6860&ms_comp_mtp&samsung_android#6&fee689d&3&0000#{6ac27878-a6fa-4155-ba85-f98f491d4f33}\SID-{20002,SECZ9519043CHOHB01,63829639168}\{013C00D0-011B-0130-3A01-380113012901}

public int Hwnd { get; private set; }

private void button3_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Shell shell = new Shell();
    Folder folder = shell.BrowseForFolder((int)Hwnd, "Choose Folder", 0, 0);     
    if (folder == null)
    {
        // User cancelled
    }
    else
    {             
        FolderItem fi = (folder as Folder3).Self;
        UserFolderLocation = fi.Path;
    }
}

Then to select search the folder for its contents:

try
{
    Folder dir = shell.NameSpace(directory);

    List<string> list = new List<string>();
    foreach (FolderItem curr in dir.Items())
    {
        list.Add(curr.Name);
    }
    folderItems = list.ToArray();
}
catch (Exception e)
{
    MessageBox.Show(e.ToString());
}