On Thu, 5 May 2005, James Hawkins wrote: [...]
You can't type in a unix file path in windows, so I don't see why we should allow it in wine. That is what the virtual drives are for.
I believe the rationale is to provide a better integration with the Unix environment. Here's the scenario where I see this used.
Some ISV, e.g. Borland, ports their popular application, e.g. Kylix, to Linux using Wine and/or Winelib. With Wine as it stands, their 'Unix' application still display Windows paths in the File Open dialogs, thus causing an outcry from Unix users that they don't want to have to deal with Windows drives, that it's not a real port, that ports done with Wine suck, etc.
This is where this extension intervenes: it lets the application ask for a Unix File Open dialog, thus giving a more native look to the application. Note that it's quite possible the application will turn around and immediately convert the path back to a Windows path using the APIs you mentioned and a, now hidden, Z: drive. But, if done well, that's none of the user's concern, all that counts here is what the user sees in the File Open dialog.