How to: Open a File That is Dropped on a RichTextBox Control

In Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), the TextBox, RichTextBox, and FlowDocument controls all have built-in drag-and-drop functionality. The built-in functionality enables drag-and-drop of text within and between the controls. However, it does not enable opening a file by dropping the file on the control. These controls also mark the drag-and-drop events as handled. As a result, by default, you cannot add your own event handlers to provide functionality to open dropped files.

To add additional handling for drag-and-drop events in these controls, use the AddHandler(RoutedEvent, Delegate, Boolean) method to add your event handlers for the drag-and-drop events. Set the handledEventsToo parameter to true to have the specified handler be invoked for a routed event that has already been marked as handled by another element along the event route.

Tip

You can replace the built-in drag-and-drop functionality of TextBox, RichTextBox, and FlowDocument by handling the preview versions of the drag-and-drop events and marking the preview events as handled. However, this will disable the built-in drag-and-drop functionality, and is not recommended.

Example

The following example demonstrates how to add handlers for the DragOver and Drop events on a RichTextBox. This example uses the AddHandler(RoutedEvent, Delegate, Boolean) method and sets the handledEventsToo parameter to true so that the events handlers will be invoked even though the RichTextBox marks these events as handled. The code in the event handlers adds functionality to open a text file that is dropped on the RichTextBox.

To test this example, drag a text file or a rich text format (RTF) file from Windows Explorer to the RichTextBox. The file will be opened in the RichTextBox. If you press the SHIFT key before the dropping the file, the file will be opened as plain text.

<RichTextBox x:Name="richTextBox1"
             AllowDrop="True" />

public MainWindow()
{
    InitializeComponent();

    // Add using System.Windows.Controls;
    richTextBox1.AddHandler(RichTextBox.DragOverEvent, new DragEventHandler(RichTextBox_DragOver), true);
    richTextBox1.AddHandler(RichTextBox.DropEvent, new DragEventHandler(RichTextBox_Drop), true);
}

private void RichTextBox_DragOver(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop))
    {
        e.Effects = DragDropEffects.All;
    }
    else
    {
        e.Effects = DragDropEffects.None;
    }
    e.Handled = false;
}

private void RichTextBox_Drop(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop))
    {
        string[] docPath = (string[])e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop);

        // By default, open as Rich Text (RTF).
        var dataFormat = DataFormats.Rtf;

        // If the Shift key is pressed, open as plain text.
        if (e.KeyStates == DragDropKeyStates.ShiftKey)
        {
            dataFormat = DataFormats.Text;
        }

        System.Windows.Documents.TextRange range;
        System.IO.FileStream fStream;
        if (System.IO.File.Exists(docPath[0]))
        {
            try
            {
                // Open the document in the RichTextBox.
                range = new System.Windows.Documents.TextRange(richTextBox1.Document.ContentStart, richTextBox1.Document.ContentEnd);
                fStream = new System.IO.FileStream(docPath[0], System.IO.FileMode.OpenOrCreate);
                range.Load(fStream, dataFormat);
                fStream.Close();
            }
            catch (System.Exception)
            {
                MessageBox.Show("File could not be opened. Make sure the file is a text file.");
            }
        }
    }
}

Public Sub New()
    InitializeComponent()

    richTextBox1.AddHandler(RichTextBox.DragOverEvent, New DragEventHandler(AddressOf RichTextBox_DragOver), True)
    richTextBox1.AddHandler(RichTextBox.DropEvent, New DragEventHandler(AddressOf RichTextBox_Drop), True)

End Sub

Private Sub RichTextBox_DragOver(sender As Object, e As DragEventArgs)
    If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
        e.Effects = DragDropEffects.All
    Else
        e.Effects = DragDropEffects.None
    End If
    e.Handled = False
End Sub

Private Sub RichTextBox_Drop(sender As Object, e As DragEventArgs)
    If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
        Dim docPath As String() = TryCast(e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop), String())

        ' By default, open as Rich Text (RTF).
        Dim dataFormat = DataFormats.Rtf

        ' If the Shift key is pressed, open as plain text.
        If e.KeyStates = DragDropKeyStates.ShiftKey Then
            dataFormat = DataFormats.Text
        End If

        Dim range As TextRange
        Dim fStream As IO.FileStream
        If IO.File.Exists(docPath(0)) Then
            Try
                ' Open the document in the RichTextBox.
                range = New TextRange(richTextBox1.Document.ContentStart, richTextBox1.Document.ContentEnd)
                fStream = New IO.FileStream(docPath(0), IO.FileMode.OpenOrCreate)
                range.Load(fStream, dataFormat)
                fStream.Close()
            Catch generatedExceptionName As System.Exception
                MessageBox.Show("File could not be opened. Make sure the file is a text file.")
            End Try
        End If
    End If
End Sub