File preview box in Open File dialog window ?

One of my favourite applications is CorelDRAW. The 'Open File' dialog window in CorelDRAW is broadly similar to the one that you get in ClearWin, except that it has a 'preview box' to the right of the files list and a 'preview' check box. Then, as you go through the list of files you get a graphical thumbnail in the preview box (if Preview is selected, of course). I would like to do something similar (i.e. not just look at the file names, but also see an image of what the contents of the file looks like).

First of all, is it possible in FTN95 to add other contents to the Open File window? Then, how can I get the highlighted file name from the box before the file is definitely selected? Drawing the thumbnail is easy enough.

I reckon that selecting files from a graphics screen full of thumbnails would be easy to program, but it would look very non-standard.

Eddie

It is possible to customise the standard Open dialog but not via ClearWin+. You will see that I have done this in Plato in order to add a read-only checkbox etc but this is coded in C/C++.

I am doubtful about being able to provide a sensible interface via ClearWin+. It is already quite tricky in C/C++.

If you are keen then probably the best approach would be for you to write your own subprogram using the SCC compiler, i.e. take a mixed language approach.

Thanks Paul, just knowing that something is tricky is enough to put me off!

Bear in mind that you are just setting (in 'read only') a condition for after the file is opened , and I was considering reading the file when the file name was selected, but not finally confirmed for opening (AND needs updating every time the highlighted selection changes). If you found your problem tricky, then I will find mine worse than impossible.

When time permits I may explore my other route, which is equivalent to View Thumbnails, or even View Filmstrip, in Explorer (which is more within my capabilities) especially if I can find a way of adding my own thumbnail capability to Explorer itself (although that is probably too difficult).

I'm not a big fan of departing too far from standard methods in Windows for opening/creating files, although my datafiles are complicated enough for me to have a 'New from Template' option which creates a minimal working datafile which can be edited into shape. An 'Open from Picturebook' route may be all I can do.

It has to be a long-term quest, and probably I need to look and see how others have attempted it, and what succeeds and what doesn't.

Eddie