title: Browse files on a share folder and return full path selected by client WITHOUT uploading the file
body: <p>I am attempting to provide a web-based solution for users to select a file on shared drives. 
  I want to use the typical file selector that is provided by windows when you go to browse for a file. The only info I need from this is the full filename + path.  Now an obvious solution would be to just have a free-text textbox where users type in their filename, but I am required to use the file selector. (image below)</p>
  
  <p>As a side note I am using the Telerik controls and this download functionality is in a user control that is inside an ajaxified panel in the parent page.</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/9h0oa.jpg" alt="file selection dialog"></p>
  
  <p>Currently I have this markup:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Add a Link to a Document: &lt;input type="file" id="upLink" runat="server" onchange="LinkSelected(this);" /&gt;
  &lt;asp:HiddenField ID="hdnLinkFile" runat="server" /&gt;
  &lt;asp:Button ID="btnLink" runat="server" CssClass="invisiblebutton" OnClick="LinkFile" /&gt;
  
  &lt;script&gt;
      function LinkSelected(sender) {
          if (sender &amp;&amp; sender.value.length &gt; 0) {
              //save filename to hidden value as it will not otherwise be usable on the server without a postback
              $("#&lt;%= hdnLinkFile.ClientID %&gt;").val(sender.value);
              //clear 
              sender.value = null;
              //fire server request on this user control
              $find("&lt;%= RadAjaxManager.GetCurrent(Page).ClientID %&gt;").ajaxRequestWithTarget("&lt;%= btnLink.UniqueID %&gt;", "");
          }
      }
  &lt;/script&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>code behind:</p>
  
  <pre><code>protected void LinkFile(object sender, EventArgs e)
  {
       if (hdnLinkFile.Value.Length &gt; 2 &amp;&amp; hdnLinkFile.Value.Substring(0, 2) != @"\\")
       {
           Code.Common.DisplayMessage("File must be in a shared location!", Page);
       }
       else
       {
           //save link string to database
       }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The purpose of this code is to prevent a full postback. A full postback will cause the file input (upLink) to upload the selected file to the web server. As we are allowing large files (over 100MB) to be linked to, and all I want is the filepath, (and the internet for some of the clients is very slow) there is no need for the upload. </p>
  
  <p>this code works great in IE - unfortunately for inputs with type=file Firefox returns only the filename - not the full path + name . Being that the reason Firefox doesn't provide this data as it is considered a security risk, and also that the client uses firefox by default, I need to find another way. All I want is the full filename + path, without actually uploading the file - how hard can it be???</p>