# Input/ouput file dialog appears behind window/s

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/input-ouput-file-dialog-appears-behind-window-s/17146>\
**Category:** Coding Questions\
**Created:** [January 17, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/input-ouput-file-dialog-appears-behind-window-s/17146 "2020-01-17T17:56:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@mala](https://discourse.processing.org/u/mala)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/input-ouput-file-dialog-appears-behind-window-s/17146/1 "2020-01-17T17:56:20Z")

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On windows, when using selectInput() or selectOutput() the file dialog popup is always behind the main sketch/app and also any other file browser windows you may have open.

From memory this problem has been around for some time :  
GitHub issue here that did not get solved - \> [https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/3775](https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/3775)

On the old forum I thought there used to be some workaround suggestions that would bring the dialog to the front… but can’t seem to find them now.

Has anyone got any suggestions ?

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**Author:** ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/input-ouput-file-dialog-appears-behind-window-s/17146/2 "2020-01-17T20:07:38Z")

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> [@mala](#):
>
> … but can’t seem to find them now.

Me neither! 😞 But if you wanna re-try your luck, here’s a tag link: 🏷

- [Tagged with index.html - Processing 2.x and 3.x Forum](http://Forum.Processing.org/two/discussions/tagged?Tag=selectOutput%28%29,selectInput%28%29)

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**Author:** ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/input-ouput-file-dialog-appears-behind-window-s/17146/3 "2020-01-17T20:11:00Z")

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also discussed here (with other stuff) without solution

> [@SelectInput: I like to tell it the folder to use?](https://discourse.processing.org/t/selectinput-i-like-to-tell-it-the-folder-to-use/13703/2):
>
> Limited research but probly these next links could help: [Goto in this post](https://forum.processing.org/two/discussion/17982/is-there-a-way-to-have-selectinput-select-files-in-the-sketchbook-folder-data-folder)[The docs which you might have seen (nothing about extensions)](https://processing.org/reference/selectInput_.html) Checking the [source code](https://github.com/processing/processing/blob/master/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java#L50), you need to check JFileChooser and probly FileChooser’s documentation and use those libraries directly if it fits your use case requirements. Kf

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**Author:** ![mala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@mala](https://discourse.processing.org/u/mala)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 11:23am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/input-ouput-file-dialog-appears-behind-window-s/17146/4 "2020-02-13T11:23:03Z")

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@Chrisir Thanks and apologies for very slow reply.  
Yep, the only solution I could see is to use JFileChooser direct, though not had time to test yet.