Standalone UI's, data stacks, image files

[Ken Norris]

Howdy,

Note: I didn't get any response so I'll repost (same with the last time I
tried to find answers about this problem). BTW, it seems that others who
have questions on these types of subjects don't get answers either. The
problems with external file referencing, data stacks, images, etc., with
respect to manipulation of stack content seems to get very little response.
I've been fighting with how to deal with this for weeks. At this point I'll
take any advice, from sage absolutism to wild guesses ;+) I'm going to
rewrite what I want to do:

1) Use a standalone as a UI with external data stacks, image resource, and
sound resource files.

2) Be able to load the standalone UI with images and sounds into background
groups from available files, via a Preferences stack where the current file
names are stored.

3) Be able to switch the bg group images and sound prefs from the
Preferences stack and have them immediately changed in the standalone UI
(and automatically saved to the Prefs stack).

4) Be able to either:

a) Load a data stack into the standalone UI somehow, and be able to search,
manipulate, and update any of the card info, then save it back to the data
stack in updated condition (with an option for backup copies).

or..

b) Search, manipiulate, and update the data stack by _remote control_ (the
hard part) from the standalone UI, and save the altered data stack normally.

How do I do it?

TIA,
Ken N.