Multiple selection in Angular File Manager component

21 Mar 20259 minutes to read

The File Manager allows you to select multiple files by enabling the allowMultiSelection property (enabled by default). The multiple selection can be done by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl key or Shift key and selecting the files. The check box can also be used to do multiple selection. Ctrl + A can be used to select all files in the current directory. The fileSelect event will be triggered when the items of File Manager component is selected or unselected.

app.component.ts
styles.css
main.ts
import { BrowserModule } from '@angular/platform-browser'
import { NgModule } from '@angular/core'
import { FileManagerModule, NavigationPaneService, ToolbarService, DetailsViewService } from '@syncfusion/ej2-angular-filemanager'
import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { FileSelectEventArgs } from '@syncfusion/ej2-filemanager';

@Component({
    imports: [FileManagerModule,],
    providers: [NavigationPaneService, ToolbarService, DetailsViewService],
    standalone: true,
    selector: 'app-root',
    styleUrls: ['./app.component.css'],
    template: `<ejs-filemanager id='multi' [ajaxSettings]='ajaxSettings' [allowMultiSelection]='allowMultiSelection' (fileSelect)='onFileSelect($event)' height="375px">
    </ejs-filemanager>`
})
export class AppComponent {
    public ajaxSettings?: object;
    public allowMultiSelection?: boolean;
    public hostUrl: string = 'https://ej2-aspcore-service.azurewebsites.net/';
    public ngOnInit(): void {
        this.ajaxSettings = {
            url: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/FileOperations',
            getImageUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/GetImage',
            uploadUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/Upload',
            downloadUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/Download'
        };
        this.allowMultiSelection = true;
    }
    // File Manager's file select event function
    onFileSelect(args: FileSelectEventArgs | any) {
        console.log(args.fileDetails.name + " has been " + args.action + "ed");
    }
}
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-popups/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-buttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-splitbuttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-navigations/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-layouts/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-grids/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-base/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-filemanager/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-inputs/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-popups/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-buttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-navigations/styles/material.css';
import { bootstrapApplication } from '@angular/platform-browser';
import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
import 'zone.js';
bootstrapApplication(AppComponent).catch((err) => console.error(err));

Note: The File Manager has support to select files and folders initially or dynamically by specifying their names in theselectedItems property.

Range Selection

The File Manager supports for selecting files and folders in specific ranges through mouse drag as like File Explorer. This is particularly useful in scenarios where users need to select a large group of files quickly without manually clicking each one.

Enabling Range Selection

To enable range selection, you need to set the enableRangeSelection property to true and ensure that multi-selection is allowed using the allowMultiSelection property.

app.component.ts
styles.css
main.ts
import { BrowserModule } from '@angular/platform-browser'
import { NgModule } from '@angular/core'
import { FileManagerModule, NavigationPaneService, ToolbarService, DetailsViewService } from '@syncfusion/ej2-angular-filemanager'
import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { FileSelectEventArgs } from '@syncfusion/ej2-filemanager';

@Component({
    imports: [FileManagerModule,],
    providers: [NavigationPaneService, ToolbarService, DetailsViewService],
    standalone: true,
    selector: 'app-root',
    styleUrls: ['./app.component.css'],
    template: `<ejs-filemanager id='multi' [ajaxSettings]='ajaxSettings' [allowMultiSelection]='allowMultiSelection' [enableRangeSelection]='enableRangeSelection' (fileSelect)='onFileSelect($event)' height="375px">
    </ejs-filemanager>`
})
export class AppComponent {
    public ajaxSettings?: object;
    public allowMultiSelection?: boolean;
    public enableRangeSelection?: boolean;
    public hostUrl: string = 'https://ej2-aspcore-service.azurewebsites.net/';
    public ngOnInit(): void {
        this.ajaxSettings = {
            url: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/FileOperations',
            getImageUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/GetImage',
            uploadUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/Upload',
            downloadUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/Download'
        };
        this.allowMultiSelection = true;
        this.enableRangeSelection = true;
    }
    // File Manager's file select event function
    onFileSelect(args: FileSelectEventArgs | any) {
        console.log(args.fileDetails.name + " has been " + args.action + "ed");
    }
}
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-popups/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-buttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-splitbuttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-navigations/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-layouts/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-grids/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-base/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-filemanager/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-inputs/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-popups/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-buttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-navigations/styles/material.css';
import { bootstrapApplication } from '@angular/platform-browser';
import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
import 'zone.js';
bootstrapApplication(AppComponent).catch((err) => console.error(err));

Disable Multi selection

Setting the allowMultiSelection property to false will prevent you from selecting multiple files or folders with standard selection methods. However, you can still select multiple items if checkboxes are visible. To fully disable all multi-selection capabilities, you must also set the showItemCheckBoxes property to false. This ensures that you cannot use checkboxes for multiple selections.

app.component.ts
styles.css
main.ts
import { BrowserModule } from '@angular/platform-browser'
import { NgModule } from '@angular/core'
import { FileManagerModule, NavigationPaneService, ToolbarService, DetailsViewService } from '@syncfusion/ej2-angular-filemanager'
import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
    imports: [FileManagerModule,],
    providers: [NavigationPaneService, ToolbarService, DetailsViewService],
    standalone: true,
    selector: 'app-root',
    styleUrls: ['./app.component.css'],
    template: `<ejs-filemanager id='disable' [ajaxSettings]='ajaxSettings' [allowMultiSelection]='allowMultiSelection' [showItemCheckBoxes]='showItemCheckBoxes' height="375px">
    </ejs-filemanager>`
})
export class AppComponent {
    public ajaxSettings?: object;
    public allowMultiSelection?: boolean;
    public showItemCheckBoxes?: boolean;
    public hostUrl: string = 'https://ej2-aspcore-service.azurewebsites.net/';
    public ngOnInit(): void {
        this.ajaxSettings = {
            url: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/FileOperations',
            getImageUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/GetImage',
            uploadUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/Upload',
            downloadUrl: this.hostUrl + 'api/FileManager/Download'
        };
        this.allowMultiSelection = false;
        this.showItemCheckBoxes = false;
    }
}
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-popups/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-buttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-splitbuttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-navigations/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-layouts/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-grids/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-base/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-filemanager/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-inputs/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-popups/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-buttons/styles/material.css';
@import 'node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-angular-navigations/styles/material.css';
import { bootstrapApplication } from '@angular/platform-browser';
import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
import 'zone.js';
bootstrapApplication(AppComponent).catch((err) => console.error(err));