fix(recipes): make batch-import directory browser work on Windows (#1106)

The browse endpoint and its frontend were written with POSIX-only
assumptions, so on Windows pressing Browse immediately failed with
"Access denied to this directory":

- The frontend opened the browser at "/", which resolves to the
  current drive root on Windows.
- The allowlist check used Path("/"), which has no drive letter on
  Windows, so relative_to() rejected every drive-qualified path —
  anything outside the user profile was denied.

Fixes:
- Empty browse path now defaults to the user home directory instead of
  erroring; the frontend sends "" rather than the POSIX-only "/".
- The access check is platform-aware (drive-qualified on Windows,
  absolute on POSIX).
- Parent navigation uses the server-provided parent_path; the root
  check is now path.parent == path (the old str/anchor comparison
  self-looped at Windows drive roots).
- Browsing up from a Windows drive root shows a virtual list of
  available drives so users can switch drives without typing a path.

py/routes/handlers/recipe_handlers.py

@@ -3124,6 +3124,12 @@ class RecipeWorkflowHandler:
 class BatchImportHandler:
     """Handle batch import operations for recipes."""
 
+    # Virtual path token for the Windows drive list. Browsing up from a drive
+    # root (e.g. C:\) lands here so users can switch drives without typing a
+    # path. Only meaningful on Windows; elsewhere it falls through to normal
+    # path handling and fails the existence check.
+    WINDOWS_DRIVES_TOKEN = "__drives__"
+
     def __init__(
         self,
         *,
@@ -3297,31 +3303,27 @@ class BatchImportHandler:
             data = await request.json()
             directory_path = data.get("path", "")
 
-            if not directory_path:
+            if os.name == "nt" and directory_path == self.WINDOWS_DRIVES_TOKEN:
-                return web.json_response(
+                return self._windows_drives_response()
-                    {"success": False, "error": "Directory path is required"},
-                    status=400,
-                )
 
-            # Normalize the path
+            # Default to the user's home directory. The frontend previously
+            # sent "/" as the initial path, which is POSIX-only: on Windows it
+            # resolves to the current drive root and then fails the access
+            # check below.
+            if not directory_path:
+                path = Path.home()
+            else:
                 path = Path(directory_path).expanduser().resolve()
 
-            # Security check: ensure path is within allowed directories
+            # Access check: browsing intentionally covers the whole server
-            # Allow common image/model directories
+            # filesystem (the server operator browses their own machine). On
-            allowed_roots = [
+            # POSIX every absolute path is under "/", but Path("/") has no
-                Path.home(),
+            # drive letter on Windows and can never anchor a drive-qualified
-                Path("/"),  # Allow browsing from root for flexibility
+            # path in relative_to(), so test for a drive there instead.
-            ]
+            if os.name == "nt":
-
+                is_allowed = bool(path.drive)
-            # Check if path is within any allowed root
+            else:
-            is_allowed = False
+                is_allowed = path.is_absolute()
-            for root in allowed_roots:
-                try:
-                    path.relative_to(root)
-                    is_allowed = True
-                    break
-                except ValueError:
-                    continue
 
             if not is_allowed:
                 return web.json_response(
@@ -3388,15 +3390,24 @@ class BatchImportHandler:
                 directories.sort(key=lambda x: x["name"].lower())
                 image_files.sort(key=lambda x: x["name"].lower())
 
-                # Add parent directory if not at root
+                # Parent directory. A filesystem root is its own parent
-                parent_path = path.parent
+                # (parent == path): POSIX "/" gets no parent, while a Windows
-                show_parent = str(path) != str(path.root)
+                # drive root (C:\) links up to the virtual drive list so users
+                # can switch drives. The previous str(path) != str(path.root)
+                # check misfired on Windows, where a drive root's parent is
+                # itself, producing an infinite self-loop.
+                if path.parent == path:
+                    parent_path = (
+                        self.WINDOWS_DRIVES_TOKEN if os.name == "nt" else None
+                    )
+                else:
+                    parent_path = str(path.parent)
 
                 return web.json_response(
                     {
                         "success": True,
                         "current_path": str(path),
-                        "parent_path": str(parent_path) if show_parent else None,
+                        "parent_path": parent_path,
                         "directories": directories,
                         "image_files": image_files,
                         "image_count": len(image_files),
@@ -3423,3 +3434,30 @@ class BatchImportHandler:
         except Exception as exc:
             self._logger.error("Error browsing directory: %s", exc, exc_info=True)
             return web.json_response({"success": False, "error": str(exc)}, status=500)
+
+    def _windows_drives_response(self) -> web.Response:
+        """List available drive letters as a virtual directory (Windows only)."""
+        try:
+            drives = os.listdrives()
+        except AttributeError:  # Python < 3.12
+            drives = [
+                f"{letter}:\\"
+                for letter in "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
+                if os.path.exists(f"{letter}:\\")
+            ]
+        directories = [
+            {"name": drive, "path": drive, "is_parent": False} for drive in drives
+        ]
+        return web.json_response(
+            {
+                "success": True,
+                # Empty current_path marks the virtual level; the frontend
+                # disables folder selection there.
+                "current_path": "",
+                "parent_path": None,
+                "directories": directories,
+                "image_files": [],
+                "image_count": 0,
+                "directory_count": len(directories),
+            }
+        )

static/js/managers/BatchImportManager.js

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export class BatchImportManager {
         this.results = null;
         this.isCancelled = false;
         this.isImporting = false;
+        this.currentParentPath = null;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -718,9 +719,10 @@ export class BatchImportManager {
             browser.style.display = isVisible ? 'none' : 'block';
             
             if (!isVisible) {
-                // Load initial directory when opening
+                // Load initial directory when opening. An empty path lets the
+                // server pick its default (user home); "/" would be POSIX-only.
                 const currentPath = document.getElementById('batchDirectoryInput').value;
-                this.loadDirectory(currentPath || '/');
+                this.loadDirectory(currentPath || '');
             }
         }
     }
@@ -761,6 +763,10 @@ export class BatchImportManager {
         const directoryCount = document.getElementById('batchDirectoryCount');
         const imageCount = document.getElementById('batchImageCount');
 
+        // Remember the server-computed parent path so the "up" navigation
+        // works with Windows paths too (they cannot be split on "/").
+        this.currentParentPath = data.parent_path || null;
+
         if (currentPathEl) {
             currentPathEl.textContent = data.current_path;
         }
@@ -811,11 +817,9 @@ export class BatchImportManager {
         `;
         
         item.addEventListener('click', () => {
-            if (isParent) {
+            // The parent entry uses the server-provided parent_path (or the
-                this.navigateToParentDirectory();
+            // Windows drive-list token) directly — both are plain load targets.
-            } else {
             this.loadDirectory(path);
-            }
         });
         
         return item;
@@ -839,15 +843,12 @@ export class BatchImportManager {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Navigate to parent directory
+     * Navigate to parent directory using the path reported by the server.
+     * Deriving it client-side by splitting on "/" breaks Windows paths.
      */
     navigateToParentDirectory() {
-        const currentPath = document.getElementById('batchCurrentPath')?.textContent;
+        if (this.currentParentPath) {
-        if (currentPath) {
+            this.loadDirectory(this.currentParentPath);
-            // Get parent path using path manipulation
-            const lastSeparator = currentPath.lastIndexOf('/');
-            const parentPath = lastSeparator > 0 ? currentPath.substring(0, lastSeparator) : currentPath;
-            this.loadDirectory(parentPath);
         }
     }
 
@@ -858,7 +859,13 @@ export class BatchImportManager {
         const currentPath = document.getElementById('batchCurrentPath')?.textContent;
         const directoryInput = document.getElementById('batchDirectoryInput');
 
-        if (currentPath && directoryInput) {
+        if (!currentPath) {
+            // Virtual levels (e.g. the Windows drive list) have no path.
+            showToast('toast.recipes.batchImportNoDirectory', {}, 'error');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (directoryInput) {
             directoryInput.value = currentPath;
             this.toggleDirectoryBrowser(); // Close browser
             showToast('toast.recipes.batchImportDirectorySelected', { path: currentPath }, 'success');

tests/frontend/managers/BatchImportManager.directoryBrowser.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { renderTemplate } from '../utils/domFixtures.js';
+
+vi.mock('../../../static/js/utils/uiHelpers.js', () => ({
+  showToast: vi.fn(),
+  setupAutoNewlineOnPaste: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../static/js/utils/i18nHelpers.js', () => ({
+  translate: (key, params = {}, fallback = null) => fallback ?? key,
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../static/js/api/apiConfig.js', () => ({
+  WS_ENDPOINTS: {},
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../static/js/utils/storageHelpers.js', () => ({
+  getStorageItem: vi.fn(() => true),
+  setStorageItem: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+describe('BatchImportManager directory browser (#1106)', () => {
+  let batchImportManager;
+  let fetchMock;
+  let showToast;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    vi.resetModules();
+
+    document.body.innerHTML = '';
+    renderTemplate('components/batch_import_modal.html');
+
+    fetchMock = vi.fn(async () => ({
+      ok: true,
+      status: 200,
+      json: async () => ({ success: true }),
+    }));
+    vi.stubGlobal('fetch', fetchMock);
+
+    const uiHelpers = await import('../../../static/js/utils/uiHelpers.js');
+    showToast = uiHelpers.showToast;
+
+    const batchModule = await import('../../../static/js/managers/BatchImportManager.js');
+    batchImportManager = new batchModule.BatchImportManager();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+  });
+
+  function lastRequestBody() {
+    return JSON.parse(fetchMock.mock.calls.at(-1)[1].body);
+  }
+
+  it('opens the browser with an empty path so the server picks the default', async () => {
+    // The old POSIX-only "/" initial path fails the access check on Windows.
+    document.getElementById('batchDirectoryInput').value = '';
+
+    batchImportManager.toggleDirectoryBrowser();
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(fetchMock).toHaveBeenCalled());
+    expect(lastRequestBody().path).toBe('');
+    expect(document.getElementById('batchDirectoryBrowser').style.display).toBe('block');
+  });
+
+  it('navigates to the parent using the server-provided path (Windows-safe)', async () => {
+    fetchMock.mockImplementation(async () => ({
+      ok: true,
+      status: 200,
+      json: async () => ({
+        success: true,
+        current_path: 'C:\\Users\\miao\\Pictures',
+        parent_path: 'C:\\Users\\miao',
+        directories: [],
+        image_files: [],
+        image_count: 0,
+        directory_count: 0,
+      }),
+    }));
+
+    await batchImportManager.loadDirectory('C:\\Users\\miao\\Pictures');
+    fetchMock.mockClear();
+
+    batchImportManager.navigateToParentDirectory();
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(fetchMock).toHaveBeenCalled());
+    expect(lastRequestBody().path).toBe('C:\\Users\\miao');
+  });
+
+  it('refuses to select a virtual level that has no current path (drive list)', async () => {
+    fetchMock.mockImplementation(async () => ({
+      ok: true,
+      status: 200,
+      json: async () => ({
+        success: true,
+        current_path: '',
+        parent_path: null,
+        directories: [{ name: 'C:\\', path: 'C:\\', is_parent: false }],
+        image_files: [],
+        image_count: 0,
+        directory_count: 1,
+      }),
+    }));
+
+    await batchImportManager.loadDirectory('__drives__');
+    batchImportManager.selectCurrentDirectory();
+
+    expect(showToast).toHaveBeenCalledWith('toast.recipes.batchImportNoDirectory', {}, 'error');
+    expect(document.getElementById('batchDirectoryInput').value).toBe('');
+  });
+});

tests/routes/test_batch_import_browse_directory.py

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+import json
+import logging
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from py.routes.handlers.recipe_handlers import BatchImportHandler
+
+
+def _make_handler() -> BatchImportHandler:
+    return BatchImportHandler(
+        ensure_dependencies_ready=None,  # browse_directory never calls it
+        recipe_scanner_getter=lambda: None,
+        civitai_client_getter=lambda: None,
+        logger=logging.getLogger(__name__),
+        batch_import_service=None,
+    )
+
+
+class _Request:
+    def __init__(self, path: str) -> None:
+        self._path = path
+
+    async def json(self):
+        return {"path": self._path}
+
+
+async def _browse(handler: BatchImportHandler, path: str):
+    response = await handler.browse_directory(_Request(path))
+    return response, json.loads(response.text)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_browse_directory_lists_subdirs_and_images(tmp_path):
+    (tmp_path / "subdir").mkdir()
+    (tmp_path / "photo.png").write_bytes(b"x")
+    (tmp_path / "notes.txt").write_text("not an image")
+
+    response, payload = await _browse(_make_handler(), str(tmp_path))
+
+    assert response.status == 200
+    assert payload["success"] is True
+    assert payload["current_path"] == str(tmp_path)
+    assert [d["name"] for d in payload["directories"]] == ["subdir"]
+    assert [f["name"] for f in payload["image_files"]] == ["photo.png"]
+    assert payload["parent_path"] == str(tmp_path.parent)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_browse_directory_empty_path_defaults_to_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    # The frontend no longer sends the POSIX-only "/" as the initial path; an
+    # empty path must resolve to the user's home directory (#1106).
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "home", lambda: tmp_path)
+
+    response, payload = await _browse(_make_handler(), "")
+
+    assert response.status == 200
+    assert payload["success"] is True
+    assert payload["current_path"] == str(tmp_path)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(os.name == "nt", reason="POSIX root semantics")
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_browse_directory_root_has_no_parent():
+    _, payload = await _browse(_make_handler(), os.path.abspath(os.sep))
+
+    assert payload["success"] is True
+    assert payload["parent_path"] is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_browse_directory_windows_drives_token(monkeypatch):
+    # The token branch returns before any pathlib use, so faking os.name is
+    # enough to exercise it on POSIX (#1106).
+    monkeypatch.setattr(os, "name", "nt")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(os, "listdrives", lambda: ["C:\\", "D:\\"], raising=False)
+
+    response, payload = await _browse(
+        _make_handler(), BatchImportHandler.WINDOWS_DRIVES_TOKEN
+    )
+
+    assert response.status == 200
+    assert payload["success"] is True
+    assert payload["current_path"] == ""
+    assert payload["parent_path"] is None
+    assert [d["name"] for d in payload["directories"]] == ["C:\\", "D:\\"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_browse_directory_missing_directory_returns_404(tmp_path):
+    response, payload = await _browse(
+        _make_handler(), str(tmp_path / "does-not-exist")
+    )
+
+    assert response.status == 404
+    assert payload["success"] is False