diff --git a/src/app/ReactDockableApp.tsx b/src/app/ReactDockableApp.tsx
index 9c35c11..422a26d 100644
--- a/src/app/ReactDockableApp.tsx
+++ b/src/app/ReactDockableApp.tsx
@@ -213,8 +213,20 @@ const ModalClickShield = () => {
   );
 };
 
+let appDispatch: any = undefined;
+
+function doAppDispatch(data:any) {
+
+  if(appDispatch === undefined) {
+    console.error('appDispatch was not set');
+  } else {
+    appDispatch(data);
+  }
+}
+
 function App() {
   const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(breaditorAppReducer, getInitialState());
+  appDispatch = dispatch;
 
   if (dispatch == undefined) {
     console.info(state);
@@ -311,7 +323,7 @@ function App() {
 }
 
 function init() {
-  const domNode = document.getElementById('react-root') as Element;
+  const domNode = document.getElementById('react-root') as HTMLElement;
 
   const root = createRoot(domNode);
 
@@ -320,6 +332,24 @@ function init() {
   addDocument(spriteMaker('Sprite C'));
   addDocument(mapMaker('Map D'));
 
+  /// MAIN<->RENDERER handlers
+  domNode.addEventListener('OPEN_FILE_SUCCESS', (event:any) => {
+    debugger;
+    doAppDispatch({
+      type: 'DOC_OPEN_FILE_FOUND',
+      thunkDispatch: doAppDispatch,
+      filePath: event.detail.filePath
+    });
+  });
+
+  domNode.addEventListener('OPEN_FILE_FAILURE', (event:any) => {
+    doAppDispatch({
+      type: 'DOC_OPEN_FILE_FAILURE',
+      thunkDispatch: doAppDispatch,
+      error: 'failed to load' + event.detail.filePath
+    });
+  });
+
   root.render(<App />);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/app/state-management/in-memory/reducers/filemenu.reducer.ts b/src/app/state-management/in-memory/reducers/filemenu.reducer.ts
index fb435d7..75948a2 100644
--- a/src/app/state-management/in-memory/reducers/filemenu.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/state-management/in-memory/reducers/filemenu.reducer.ts
@@ -31,12 +31,14 @@ const initialFileMenuState: FileMenuState = {};
 const fileMenuReducer: Reducer<FileMenuState, FileMenuAction> = createReducer(
   initialFileMenuState,
   {
-    DOC_OPEN_FILE_FOUND: (state, action: OpenFileCancelledAction) => {
+    DOC_OPEN_FILE_FOUND: (state, action: OpenFileFoundAction) => {
       action.thunkDispatch({type: 'SET_IS_LOADING', newState: false});
+      alert("now load: " +  action.filePath);
       return {...state};
     },
-    DOC_OPEN_FILE_FAILURE: (state, action: OpenFileFoundAction) => {
+    DOC_OPEN_FILE_FAILURE: (state, action: OpenFileCancelledAction) => {
       action.thunkDispatch({type: 'SET_IS_LOADING', newState: false});
+      alert("failed to load load: " + action.error);
       return {...state};
     },
     DOC_OPEN_EXISTING: (state, action: OpenDocumentAction) => {
@@ -51,31 +53,9 @@ const fileMenuReducer: Reducer<FileMenuState, FileMenuAction> = createReducer(
         };
 
         console.log('INVOKING window.electronAPI.openFileDialog');
+        
         // @ts-ignore
         window.electronAPI.openFileDialog(options);
-        console.log('bueller?');
-
-        /*
-        dialog
-          .showOpenDialog(options)
-          .then((result: any) => {
-            if (!result.canceled && result.filePaths.length > 0) {
-              const filePath = result.filePaths[0];
-              dispatch({
-                type: 'OPEN_FILE_FOUND',
-                payload: filePath,
-                thunkDispatch: dispatch,
-              });
-            }
-          })
-          .catch((error: any) => {
-            dispatch({
-              type: 'OPEN_FILE_FAILURE',
-              payload: error,
-              thunkDispatch: dispatch,
-            });
-          });
-      */
       };
 
       thunk(action.thunkDispatch);
diff --git a/src/main/main.ts b/src/main/main.ts
index 689a9d7..68a6f37 100644
--- a/src/main/main.ts
+++ b/src/main/main.ts
@@ -54,22 +54,21 @@ function createWindow() {
     mainWindow.close();
   });
 
-  ipcMain.on('open-file-dialog', (_options: any) => {
-    const options: OpenDialogOptions = _options;
+  ipcMain.on('open-file-dialog', (event:Electron.IpcMainEvent, arg:any[]) => {
+    const options: OpenDialogOptions = arg[0];
+    const senderWebContents = event.sender;
 
-    console.log('MAIN open-file-dialog');
     dialog
       .showOpenDialog(options)
       .then((result) => {
         if (!result.canceled && result.filePaths.length > 0) {
           const filePath = result.filePaths[0];
-          console.log('filePath', filePath);
-          //dispatch({type: 'OPEN_FILE_SUCCESS', payload: filePath});
+
+          senderWebContents.send('OPEN_FILE_SUCCESS', {type: 'OPEN_FILE_SUCCESS', payload: filePath});
         }
       })
       .catch((error) => {
-        console.log('error', error);
-        //dispatch({type: 'OPEN_FILE_FAILURE', payload: error});
+        senderWebContents.send('OPEN_FILE_FAILURE', {type: 'OPEN_FILE_FAILURE', payload: error});
       });
   });
 
diff --git a/src/main/preload/preload.js b/src/main/preload/preload.js
index 19d923b..e858ce5 100644
--- a/src/main/preload/preload.js
+++ b/src/main/preload/preload.js
@@ -2,11 +2,9 @@
 const {
   contextBridge,
   ipcRenderer,
-  OpenDialogOptions /*, ipcMain*/,
+  OpenDialogOptions
 } = require('electron');
 
-console.log('preload.ts!');
-
 contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('electronAPI', {
   appClose: () => {
     ipcRenderer.send('app-close');
@@ -21,3 +19,18 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('electronAPI', {
     ipcRenderer.send('open-file-dialog', options);
   },
 });
+
+
+ipcRenderer.on('OPEN_FILE_SUCCESS', (e, msg) => {
+  document.getElementById('react-root').dispatchEvent(
+    new CustomEvent('OPEN_FILE_SUCCESS', {
+    detail: { filePath: msg.payload }
+  }));
+});
+
+ipcRenderer.on('OPEN_FILE_FAILURE', (e, msg) => {
+  document.getElementById('react-root').dispatchEvent(
+    new CustomEvent('OPEN_FILE_FAILURE', {
+    detail: { filePath: msg.payload }
+  }));
+});