1. A method for modifying a File Open dialog to enable searching for a file, comprising: writing a namespace extension to organize a file system into a tree-structured hierarchy of files and folders; building a customized shell view within a File Open dialog box based on the namespace extension by implementing a Component Object Model (COM) interface to display or perform an operation on contents of said customized shell via a user input device; providing a channel of communication between a view object and said File Open dialog via a second COM interface; providing a channel of communication between said File Open dialog and said customized shell view via a third COM interface; hosting a Shell browser via a fourth COM interface; receiving a user search input within the customized File Open dialog box; searching for a file indicated by the user search input; and displaying at least one search result within the customized File Open dialog box via a user output device.