Python: Get a list of selected files in Explorer (WIndows 7)

Question

At work I can select multiple .xlsx files, and right clicking on one file will give me the option of combining the files to make a .pdf. Now I want to use the same functiona

Answer 1

Edit: Doesn't work yet, at least when using context menu

I found a partial solution here. However it doesn't work if Internet Explorer is open (how do I detect this?). Also, if multiple instances of Windows Explorer is open, the selected files in all windows are counted. I added a check for this.

import win32com.client as win32
import os
import win32ui


def explorer_fileselection():
    working_dir = os.getcwd()

    clsid = '{9BA05972-F6A8-11CF-A442-00A0C90A8F39}' #Valid for IE as well!
    shellwindows = win32.Dispatch(clsid)

    files = []
    try:
        for window in range(shellwindows.Count):
            window_URL = shellwindows[window].LocationURL
            window_dir = window_URL.split("///")[1].replace("/", "\\")
            if window_dir == working_dir:
                selected_files = shellwindows[window].Document.SelectedItems()
                for file in range(selected_files.Count):
                    files.append(selected_files.Item(file).Path)
    except:   #Ugh, need a better way to handle this one
        win32ui.MessageBox("Close IE!", "Error")
    del shellwindows

    return files


print(*explorer_fileselection(), sep="\n")

--- prints the selected files:

C:\Users\oe\Python\ssa\util\test3.docx
C:\Users\oe\Python\ssa\util\__init__.py
C:\Users\oe\Python\ssa\util\explorer_filer.py
C:\Users\oe\Python\ssa\util\test1.xlsx
C:\Users\oe\Python\ssa\util\test2.xls

I think I will add a *valid_ext parameter to the function, so I can do calls like explorer_fileselection("xlsx", "xls") to get Excel-files only.