# Tkinter dialogs

## `tkinter.simpledialog` — Standard Tkinter input dialogs

Source code: Lib/tkinter/simpledialog.py

The `tkinter.simpledialog` module contains convenience classes and functions for creating simple modal dialogs to get a value from the user.

tkinter.simpledialog.askfloat(title, prompt, *, initialvalue=None, minvalue=None, maxvalue=None, parent=None)
tkinter.simpledialog.askinteger(title, prompt, *, initialvalue=None, minvalue=None, maxvalue=None, parent=None)
tkinter.simpledialog.askstring(title, prompt, *, initialvalue=None, show=None, parent=None)

  Prompt the user to enter a value of the desired type and return it, or `None` if the dialog is cancelled.

  title is the dialog title and prompt the message shown above the entry. initialvalue is the value initially placed in the entry. parent is the window over which the dialog is shown. `askinteger()` and `askfloat()` also accept minvalue and maxvalue, which bound the accepted value. `askstring()` also accepts show, a character used to mask the entered text, for example `'*'` to hide a password.

class tkinter.simpledialog.Dialog(parent, title=None)

  The base class for custom dialogs. Instantiating it shows the dialog modally and returns once the user closes it; the entered value is then available in the `result` attribute.

  result

    The value produced by `apply()`, or `None` if the dialog was cancelled.

  body(master)

    Override to construct the dialog’s interface and return the widget that should have initial focus.

  buttonbox()

    Default behaviour adds OK and Cancel buttons. Override for custom button layouts.

  validate()

    Validate the data entered by the user. Return true if it is valid, in which case the dialog proceeds to `apply()`; return false to keep the dialog open. The default implementation always returns true; override it to check the input.

  apply()

    Process the data entered by the user, for example by storing it in the `result` attribute. Called after `validate()` succeeds and just before the dialog is destroyed. The default implementation does nothing; override it to act on or store the result.

  destroy()

    Destroy the dialog window, clearing the reference to the widget that had the initial focus.

class tkinter.simpledialog.SimpleDialog(master, text='', buttons=[], default=None, cancel=None, title=None, class_=None)

  A simple modal dialog that displays the message text above a row of push buttons whose labels are given by buttons, and returns the index of the button the user presses. default is the index of the button activated by the Return key, cancel the index returned when the window is closed through the window manager, title the window title, and class_ the Tk class name of the window.

  go()

    Display the dialog, wait until the user presses a button or closes the window, and return the index of the chosen button.

## `tkinter.filedialog` — File selection dialogs

Source code: Lib/tkinter/filedialog.py

The `tkinter.filedialog` module provides classes and factory functions for creating file/directory selection windows.

### Native load/save dialogs

The following classes and functions provide file dialog windows that combine a native look-and-feel with configuration options to customize behaviour. The following keyword arguments are applicable to the classes and functions listed below:

> parent - the window to place the dialog on top of
> title - the title of the window
> initialdir - the directory that the dialog starts in
> initialfile - the file selected upon opening of the dialog
> filetypes - a sequence of (label, pattern) tuples, ‘*’ wildcard is allowed
> defaultextension - default extension to append to file (save dialogs)
> multiple - when true, selection of multiple items is allowed

Static factory functions

The below functions when called create a modal, native look-and-feel dialog, wait for the user’s selection, and return it. The exact return value depends on the function (see below); when the dialog is cancelled it is an empty string, an empty tuple or `None`. The precise type of this empty value may vary between platforms and Tk versions, so test the result for truth rather than comparing it with a specific value.

tkinter.filedialog.askopenfile(mode='r', **options)
tkinter.filedialog.askopenfiles(mode='r', **options)

  Create an `Open` dialog. `askopenfile()` returns the opened file object, or `None` if the dialog is cancelled. `askopenfiles()` returns a list of the opened file objects, or an empty tuple if cancelled. The files are opened in mode mode (read-only `'r'` by default).

tkinter.filedialog.asksaveasfile(mode='w', **options)

  Create a `SaveAs` dialog and return the opened file object, or `None` if the dialog is cancelled. The file is opened in mode mode (`'w'` by default).

tkinter.filedialog.askopenfilename(**options)
tkinter.filedialog.askopenfilenames(**options)

  Create an `Open` dialog. `askopenfilename()` returns the selected filename as a string, or an empty string if the dialog is cancelled. `askopenfilenames()` returns a tuple of the selected filenames, or an empty tuple if cancelled.

tkinter.filedialog.asksaveasfilename(**options)

  Create a `SaveAs` dialog and return the selected filename as a string, or an empty string if the dialog is cancelled.

tkinter.filedialog.askdirectory(**options)

  Prompt the user to select a directory, and return its path as a string, or an empty string if the dialog is cancelled. Additional keyword option: mustexist - if true, the user may only select an existing directory (false by default).

class tkinter.filedialog.Open(master=None, **options)
class tkinter.filedialog.SaveAs(master=None, **options)
class tkinter.filedialog.Directory(master=None, **options)

  The above three classes provide native dialog windows for loading and saving files and for selecting a directory.

Convenience classes

The below classes are used for creating file/directory windows from scratch. These do not emulate the native look-and-feel of the platform.

Note

The FileDialog class should be subclassed for custom event handling and behaviour.

class tkinter.filedialog.FileDialog(master, title=None)

  Create a basic file selection dialog.

  cancel_command(event=None)

    Trigger the termination of the dialog window.

  dirs_double_event(event)

    Event handler for double-click event on directory.

  dirs_select_event(event)

    Event handler for click event on directory.

  files_double_event(event)

    Event handler for double-click event on file.

  files_select_event(event)

    Event handler for single-click event on file.

  filter_command(event=None)

    Filter the files by directory.

  get_filter()

    Retrieve the file filter currently in use.

  get_selection()

    Retrieve the currently selected item.

  go(dir_or_file=os.curdir, pattern='*', default='', key=None)

    Render dialog and start event loop.

  ok_event(event)

    Exit dialog returning current selection.

  ok_command()

    Called when the user confirms the current selection. The base implementation accepts the selection and closes the dialog; `LoadFileDialog` and `SaveFileDialog` override it to check the selection first.

  quit(how=None)

    Exit dialog returning filename, if any.

  set_filter(dir, pat)

    Set the file filter.

  set_selection(file)

    Update the current file selection to file.

class tkinter.filedialog.LoadFileDialog(master, title=None)

  A subclass of FileDialog that creates a dialog window for selecting an existing file.

  ok_command()

    Test that a file is provided and that the selection indicates an already existing file.

class tkinter.filedialog.SaveFileDialog(master, title=None)

  A subclass of FileDialog that creates a dialog window for selecting a destination file.

  ok_command()

    Test whether or not the selection points to a valid file that is not a directory. Confirmation is required if an already existing file is selected.

## `tkinter.commondialog` — Dialog window templates

Source code: Lib/tkinter/commondialog.py

The `tkinter.commondialog` module provides the `Dialog` class that is the base class for dialogs defined in other supporting modules.

class tkinter.commondialog.Dialog(master=None, **options)
  show(**options)

    Render the Dialog window.

## `tkinter.dialog` — Classic Tk dialog boxes

Source code: Lib/tkinter/dialog.py

The `tkinter.dialog` module provides a simple modal dialog box built on the classic (non-themed) Tk widgets.

tkinter.dialog.DIALOG_ICON

  The name of a bitmap (`'questhead'`) suitable for use as the bitmap of a `Dialog`.

class tkinter.dialog.Dialog(master=None, cnf={}, **kw)

  Display a modal dialog box built from the classic (non-themed) Tk widgets and wait for the user to press one of its buttons. The options, given through cnf or as keyword arguments, are all required: title (the window title), text (the message), bitmap (the name of a bitmap icon, such as `DIALOG_ICON`), default (the index of the default button) and strings (the sequence of button labels). After construction, the `num` attribute holds the index of the button the user pressed.

  destroy()

    Do nothing. The dialog window is destroyed automatically before the constructor returns, so there is nothing left for this method to do.

See also

Modules `tkinter.messagebox`, Reading and Writing Files