Specifying a filename in a plugin dialog

I'm completely new to AE plugin development, so bear with me. I'm going to attempt to update the AEFlame plugin to the latest version of the flame renderer (AEFlame is now 8 years behind!)...but the most important thing I can see as far as the interface isn't particularly straightforward to implement.
There's already a great flame editor (Apophysis) so there's no need to recreate that in the plugin. What is absolutely essential is that we are able to select a file to use as the source of the flame data (XML), and I can't see a way to do this through standard parameter types. I'd want to change some render settings, but nothing more complex than that - the flame contents would be hidden from the user.
It seems to me like the most elegant solution would be to write support for a new file type (.flame or .flam3) that would permit AE to treat these files as elements of the project - parametric descriptions of bitmap images. Is that correct? Is there an easy way for me to be able to select a file from a dialog within an effects plugin?
Many thanks for any recommendations or assistance.
Regards,
Erik Reckase
flam3dev

ECW = Effect Control Window (I just meant a custom UI for your effect plugin.)
In addition to painting the "Open" button (or whatever UI element), your custom UI could also paint a drop-down combo box or list box to allow the user to select the appropriate flame item from the chosen file. You could then populate this element dynamically after the user selects the XML file.
Your custom UI could also paint the filename text after the user selects one. And something like "(Select a file)" if the user has not yet chosen one.
You'll need to save your custom UI data in the plugin's sequence data, so that when the project is saved (or a preset is created), the effect retains all of the user's selections. One of the example projects shows how to flatten & unflatten sequence data, can't remember which one off the top of my head but if you search for "flatten" I'm sure you'll find it.
You *could* load the XML file each time you need to render, but it'd be better to cache it and then access that cache each time you need to render.
I'm not sure if an arbitrary data type would be a better/alternative option -- I've not used them myself but they may be worth investigating too.

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