diff --git a/redo/dialog_unix.go b/redo/dialog_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..552f485
--- /dev/null
+++ b/redo/dialog_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// 19 august 2014
+
+package ui
+
+import (
+	"unsafe"
+)
+
+// #include "gtk_unix.h"
+// /* because cgo doesn't like ... */
+// GtkWidget *newOpenFileDialog(void)
+// {
+// 	return gtk_file_chooser_dialog_new(NULL,	/* default title */
+// 		NULL,		/* no parent window */
+// 		GTK_FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_OPEN,
+// 		GTK_STOCK_CANCEL, GTK_RESPONSE_CANCEL,
+// 		GTK_STOCK_OPEN, GTK_RESPONSE_ACCEPT,
+// 		NULL);
+// }
+import "C"
+
+func openFile() string {
+	widget := C.newOpenFileDialog()
+	defer C.gtk_widget_destroy(widget)
+	dialog  := (*C.GtkDialog)(unsafe.Pointer(widget))
+	fc := (*C.GtkFileChooser)(unsafe.Pointer(widget))
+	C.gtk_file_chooser_set_local_only(fc, C.FALSE)
+	C.gtk_file_chooser_set_select_multiple(fc, C.FALSE)
+	C.gtk_file_chooser_set_show_hidden(fc, C.TRUE)
+	inmodal = true
+	response := C.gtk_dialog_run(dialog)
+	inmodal = false
+	if response != C.GTK_RESPONSE_ACCEPT {
+		return ""
+	}
+	filename := C.gtk_file_chooser_get_filename(fc)
+	if filename == nil {
+		panic("[DEBUG TODO] chosen filename NULL")
+	}
+	defer C.g_free(C.gpointer(unsafe.Pointer(filename)))
+	return fromgstr(filename)
+}
diff --git a/redo/uitask_unix.go b/redo/uitask_unix.go
index a97074c..d330e4b 100644
--- a/redo/uitask_unix.go
+++ b/redo/uitask_unix.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ func issue(f *func()) {
 	C.gdk_threads_add_idle(C.GSourceFunc(C.doissue), C.gpointer(unsafe.Pointer(f)))
 }
 
+// TODO this is not order-safe!
 var inmodal = false
 
 //export doissue