diff --git a/src/eval/eval_core.h b/src/eval/eval_core.h
index 01eb7685..650597b8 100644
--- a/src/eval/eval_core.h
+++ b/src/eval/eval_core.h
@@ -93,8 +93,9 @@ typedef U64 E_SpaceKind;
 enum
 {
   E_SpaceKind_Null,
-  E_SpaceKind_HashStoreKey,
+  E_SpaceKind_File,
   E_SpaceKind_FileSystem,
+  E_SpaceKind_HashStoreKey,
   E_SpaceKind_FirstUserDefined,
 };
 
diff --git a/src/eval/eval_ir.c b/src/eval/eval_ir.c
index acfb92f2..d2d81b93 100644
--- a/src/eval/eval_ir.c
+++ b/src/eval/eval_ir.c
@@ -234,6 +234,43 @@ E_LOOKUP_INFO_FUNCTION_DEF(file)
   return info;
 }
 
+E_LOOKUP_ACCESS_FUNCTION_DEF(file)
+{
+  E_LookupAccess result = {{&e_irnode_nil}}; 
+  if(kind == E_ExprKind_MemberAccess)
+  {
+    E_FileAccel *accel = (E_FileAccel *)user_data;
+    String8 member_name = rhs->string;
+    if(str8_match(member_name, str8_lit("size"), 0))
+    {
+      result.irtree_and_type.root = e_irtree_const_u(arena, accel->props.size);
+      result.irtree_and_type.type_key = e_type_key_basic(E_TypeKind_U64);
+      result.irtree_and_type.mode = E_Mode_Value;
+    }
+    else if(str8_match(member_name, str8_lit("last_modified_time"), 0))
+    {
+      result.irtree_and_type.root = e_irtree_const_u(arena, accel->props.modified);
+      result.irtree_and_type.type_key = e_type_key_basic(E_TypeKind_U64);
+      result.irtree_and_type.mode = E_Mode_Value;
+    }
+    else if(str8_match(member_name, str8_lit("creation_time"), 0))
+    {
+      result.irtree_and_type.root = e_irtree_const_u(arena, accel->props.created);
+      result.irtree_and_type.type_key = e_type_key_basic(E_TypeKind_U64);
+      result.irtree_and_type.mode = E_Mode_Value;
+    }
+    else if(str8_match(member_name, str8_lit("data"), 0))
+    {
+      E_Space space = e_space_make(E_SpaceKind_File);
+      space.u64_0 = e_id_from_string(accel->file_path);
+      result.irtree_and_type.root     = e_irtree_set_space(arena, space, e_irtree_const_u(arena, 0));
+      result.irtree_and_type.type_key = e_type_key_cons_array(e_type_key_basic(E_TypeKind_U8), accel->props.size);
+      result.irtree_and_type.mode = E_Mode_Offset;
+    }
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
 E_LOOKUP_RANGE_FUNCTION_DEF(file)
 {
   E_FileAccel *accel = (E_FileAccel *)user_data;
@@ -245,29 +282,11 @@ E_LOOKUP_RANGE_FUNCTION_DEF(file)
     if(0 <= idx && idx < accel->fields.count)
     {
       String8 name = accel->fields.v[idx];
-      if(str8_match(name, str8_lit("size"), 0))
-      {
-        expr = e_push_expr(arena, E_ExprKind_LeafU64, 0);
-        expr->value.u64 = accel->props.size;
-      }
-      else if(str8_match(name, str8_lit("last_modified_time"), 0))
-      {
-        expr = e_push_expr(arena, E_ExprKind_LeafU64, 0);
-        expr->value.u64 = accel->props.modified;
-      }
-      else if(str8_match(name, str8_lit("creation_time"), 0))
-      {
-        expr = e_push_expr(arena, E_ExprKind_LeafU64, 0);
-        expr->value.u64 = accel->props.created;
-      }
-      else if(str8_match(name, str8_lit("data"), 0))
-      {
-        expr = e_push_expr(arena, E_ExprKind_LeafOffset, 0);
-        expr->space = e_space_make(E_SpaceKind_HashStoreKey);
-        expr->space.u128 = fs_key_from_path_range(accel->file_path, r1u64(0, max_U64));
-        expr->type_key = e_type_key_cons_array(e_type_key_basic(E_TypeKind_U8), accel->props.size);
-      }
-      string = push_str8f(arena, ".%S", name);
+      expr = e_push_expr(arena, E_ExprKind_MemberAccess, 0);
+      E_Expr *rhs = e_push_expr(arena, E_ExprKind_LeafMember, 0);
+      rhs->string = push_str8_copy(arena, name);
+      e_expr_push_child(expr, e_expr_ref(arena, lhs));
+      e_expr_push_child(expr, rhs);
     }
     exprs[out_idx] = expr;
     exprs_strings[out_idx] = string;
@@ -401,6 +420,7 @@ e_lookup_rule_map_make(Arena *arena, U64 slots_count)
                                .range  = E_LOOKUP_RANGE_FUNCTION_NAME(folder));
   e_lookup_rule_map_insert_new(arena, &map, str8_lit("file"),
                                .info   = E_LOOKUP_INFO_FUNCTION_NAME(file),
+                               .access = E_LOOKUP_ACCESS_FUNCTION_NAME(file),
                                .range  = E_LOOKUP_RANGE_FUNCTION_NAME(file));
   e_lookup_rule_map_insert_new(arena, &map, str8_lit("slice"),
                                .info   = E_LOOKUP_INFO_FUNCTION_NAME(slice),
@@ -2203,7 +2223,7 @@ E_IRGEN_FUNCTION_DEF(default)
     //- rjf: leaf file paths
     case E_ExprKind_LeafFilePath:
     {
-      FileProperties props = fs_properties_from_path(expr->string);
+      FileProperties props = os_properties_from_file_path(expr->string);
       if(props.flags & FilePropertyFlag_IsFolder)
       {
         E_Space space = e_space_make(E_SpaceKind_FileSystem);
@@ -2213,6 +2233,11 @@ E_IRGEN_FUNCTION_DEF(default)
       }
       else
       {
+        E_Space space = e_space_make(E_SpaceKind_FileSystem);
+        result.root     = e_irtree_set_space(arena, space, e_irtree_const_u(arena, e_id_from_string(expr->string)));
+        result.type_key = e_type_key_cons(.kind = E_TypeKind_Set, .name = str8_lit("file"));
+        result.mode     = E_Mode_Value;
+#if 0
         U128 key = fs_key_from_path_range(expr->string, r1u64(0, max_U64));
         E_Space space = {E_SpaceKind_HashStoreKey, .u128 = key};
         U64 size = props.size;
@@ -2222,6 +2247,7 @@ E_IRGEN_FUNCTION_DEF(default)
         result.root->string = push_str8_copy(arena, expr->string);
         result.type_key = e_type_key_cons_array(e_type_key_basic(E_TypeKind_U8), size);
         result.mode     = E_Mode_Offset;
+#endif
       }
     }break;
     
diff --git a/src/eval_visualization/eval_visualization_core.c b/src/eval_visualization/eval_visualization_core.c
index 8c6af7d8..4ac042e4 100644
--- a/src/eval_visualization/eval_visualization_core.c
+++ b/src/eval_visualization/eval_visualization_core.c
@@ -584,6 +584,14 @@ ev_block_tree_from_exprs(Arena *arena, EV_View *view, String8 filter, E_ExprChai
         expansion_row_count = expand_info.row_count;
       }
       
+      // rjf: determine if this expansion supports child expansions
+      B32 allow_child_expansions = 1;
+      if(expand_info.single_item)
+      {
+        // NOTE(rjf): for now, just plugging in the heuristic of "is this a single row (a.k.a. visualizer)?"
+        allow_child_expansions = 0;
+      }
+      
       // rjf: generate block for expansion
       EV_Block *expansion_block = &ev_nil_block;
       if(expansion_row_count != 0)
@@ -612,7 +620,7 @@ ev_block_tree_from_exprs(Arena *arena, EV_View *view, String8 filter, E_ExprChai
       U64 child_count = 0;
       EV_Key *child_keys = 0;
       U64 *child_nums = 0;
-      if(!child_count && !expand_info.rows_default_expanded && expand_node != 0 && expansion_row_count != 0)
+      if(allow_child_expansions && !child_count && !expand_info.rows_default_expanded && expand_node != 0 && expansion_row_count != 0)
       {
         // rjf: count children
         for(EV_ExpandNode *child = expand_node->first; child != 0; child = child->next, child_count += 1){}
@@ -659,7 +667,7 @@ ev_block_tree_from_exprs(Arena *arena, EV_View *view, String8 filter, E_ExprChai
       }
       
       // rjf: gather children expansions from inverse of expansion state
-      if(!child_count && (expand_info.rows_default_expanded || (expand_node == 0 && !expand_info.rows_default_expanded)))
+      if(allow_child_expansions && !child_count && (expand_info.rows_default_expanded || (expand_node == 0 && !expand_info.rows_default_expanded)))
       {
         child_count = expand_info.row_count;
         child_keys  = push_array(scratch.arena, EV_Key, child_count);
diff --git a/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.c b/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.c
index 09e8648a..6177e6cf 100644
--- a/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.c
+++ b/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.c
@@ -3010,7 +3010,7 @@ rd_eval_space_read(void *u, E_Space space, void *out, Rng1U64 range)
   B32 result = 0;
   switch(space.kind)
   {
-    //- rjf: filesystem reads
+    //- rjf: reads from hash store key
     case E_SpaceKind_HashStoreKey:
     {
       U128 key = space.u128;
@@ -3029,6 +3029,27 @@ rd_eval_space_read(void *u, E_Space space, void *out, Rng1U64 range)
       hs_scope_close(scope);
     }break;
     
+    //- rjf: file reads
+    case E_SpaceKind_File:
+    {
+      U64 file_path_string_id = space.u64_0;
+      String8 file_path = e_string_from_id(file_path_string_id);
+      U128 key = fs_key_from_path_range(file_path, range);
+      U128 hash = hs_hash_from_key(key, 0);
+      HS_Scope *scope = hs_scope_open();
+      {
+        String8 data = hs_data_from_hash(scope, hash);
+        Rng1U64 legal_range = r1u64(0, data.size);
+        Rng1U64 read_range = intersect_1u64(range, legal_range);
+        if(read_range.min < read_range.max)
+        {
+          result = 1;
+          MemoryCopy(out, data.str + read_range.min, dim_1u64(read_range));
+        }
+      }
+      hs_scope_close(scope);
+    }break;
+    
     //- rjf: interior control entity reads (inside process address space or thread register block)
     case RD_EvalSpaceKind_CtrlEntity:
     {
@@ -3301,6 +3322,12 @@ rd_key_from_eval_space_range(E_Space space, Rng1U64 range, B32 zero_terminated)
     {
       result = space.u128;
     }break;
+    case E_SpaceKind_File:
+    {
+      U64 file_path_string_id = space.u64_0;
+      String8 file_path = e_string_from_id(file_path_string_id);
+      result  = fs_key_from_path_range(file_path, range);
+    }break;
     case RD_EvalSpaceKind_CtrlEntity:
     {
       CTRL_Entity *entity = rd_ctrl_entity_from_eval_space(space);
@@ -3323,19 +3350,21 @@ rd_whole_range_from_eval_space(E_Space space)
   {
     case E_SpaceKind_HashStoreKey:
     {
-      HS_Scope *scope = hs_scope_open();
-      U128 hash = {0};
-      for(U64 idx = 0; idx < 2; idx += 1)
+      U128 key = space.u128;
+      U128 hash = hs_hash_from_key(key, 0);
+      HS_Scope *hs_scope = hs_scope_open();
       {
-        hash = hs_hash_from_key(space.u128, idx);
-        if(!u128_match(hash, u128_zero()))
-        {
-          break;
-        }
+        String8 data = hs_data_from_hash(hs_scope, hash);
+        result = r1u64(0, data.size);
       }
-      String8 data = hs_data_from_hash(scope, hash);
-      result = r1u64(0, data.size);
-      hs_scope_close(scope);
+      hs_scope_close(hs_scope);
+    }break;
+    case E_SpaceKind_File:
+    {
+      U64 file_path_string_id = space.u64_0;
+      String8 file_path = e_string_from_id(file_path_string_id);
+      FileProperties props = os_properties_from_file_path(file_path);
+      result = r1u64(0, props.size);
     }break;
     case RD_EvalSpaceKind_CtrlEntity:
     {
@@ -3463,17 +3492,33 @@ rd_commit_eval_value_string(E_Eval dst_eval, String8 string, B32 string_needs_un
 
 //- rjf: eval <-> file path
 
+internal String8
+rd_file_path_from_eval(Arena *arena, E_Eval eval)
+{
+  String8 result = {0};
+  switch(eval.space.kind)
+  {
+    default:{}break;
+    case E_SpaceKind_File:
+    {
+      result = push_str8_copy(arena, e_string_from_id(eval.space.u64_0));
+    }break;
+    case E_SpaceKind_FileSystem:
+    {
+      result = push_str8_copy(arena, e_string_from_id(eval.value.u64));
+    }break;
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
 internal String8
 rd_file_path_from_eval_string(Arena *arena, String8 string)
 {
   String8 result = {0};
   {
     Temp scratch = scratch_begin(&arena, 1);
-    E_Expr *expr = e_parse_expr_from_text(scratch.arena, string).exprs.last;
-    if(expr->kind == E_ExprKind_LeafFilePath)
-    {
-      result = raw_from_escaped_str8(arena, expr->string);
-    }
+    E_Eval eval = e_eval_from_string(scratch.arena, string);
+    result = rd_file_path_from_eval(arena, eval);
     scratch_end(scratch);
   }
   return result;
@@ -3484,7 +3529,7 @@ rd_eval_string_from_file_path(Arena *arena, String8 string)
 {
   Temp scratch = scratch_begin(&arena, 1);
   String8 string_escaped = escaped_from_raw_str8(scratch.arena, string);
-  String8 result = push_str8f(arena, "file:\"%S\"", string_escaped);
+  String8 result = push_str8f(arena, "file:\"%S\".data", string_escaped);
   scratch_end(scratch);
   return result;
 }
@@ -3933,9 +3978,11 @@ internal TXT_LangKind
 rd_lang_kind_from_eval_tag(E_Eval eval, E_Expr *tag)
 {
   TXT_LangKind lang_kind = TXT_LangKind_Null;
-  if(eval.exprs.last->kind == E_ExprKind_LeafFilePath)
+  Temp scratch = scratch_begin(0, 0);
+  String8 file_path = rd_file_path_from_eval(scratch.arena, eval);
+  if(file_path.size != 0)
   {
-    lang_kind = txt_lang_kind_from_extension(str8_skip_last_dot(eval.exprs.last->string));
+    lang_kind = txt_lang_kind_from_extension(str8_skip_last_dot(file_path));
   }
   else for(E_Expr *param = tag->first->next; param != &e_expr_nil; param = param->next)
   {
@@ -3945,6 +3992,7 @@ rd_lang_kind_from_eval_tag(E_Eval eval, E_Expr *tag)
       break;
     }
   }
+  scratch_end(scratch);
   return lang_kind;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.h b/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.h
index ffe25121..484c74b0 100644
--- a/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.h
+++ b/src/raddbg/raddbg_core.h
@@ -1037,6 +1037,7 @@ internal Rng1U64 rd_whole_range_from_eval_space(E_Space space);
 internal B32 rd_commit_eval_value_string(E_Eval dst_eval, String8 string, B32 string_needs_unescaping);
 
 //- rjf: eval <-> file path
+internal String8 rd_file_path_from_eval(Arena *arena, E_Eval eval);
 internal String8 rd_file_path_from_eval_string(Arena *arena, String8 string);
 internal String8 rd_eval_string_from_file_path(Arena *arena, String8 string);
 
diff --git a/src/raddbg/raddbg_views.c b/src/raddbg/raddbg_views.c
index 52a9ad60..5b00ac72 100644
--- a/src/raddbg/raddbg_views.c
+++ b/src/raddbg/raddbg_views.c
@@ -2878,7 +2878,7 @@ RD_VIEW_UI_FUNCTION_DEF(watch)
                       RD_Cfg *expr = rd_cfg_child_from_string_or_alloc(view, str8_lit("expression"));
                       rd_cfg_new(expr, e_string_from_expr(scratch.arena, cell_info.eval.exprs.last));
                       rd_cfg_new(view, str8_lit("selected"));
-                      RD_RegsScope(.view = view->id)
+                      RD_RegsScope(.view = view->id, .file_path = rd_file_path_from_eval(scratch.arena, cell_info.eval))
                         UI_PermissionFlags(UI_PermissionFlag_Clicks|UI_PermissionFlag_ScrollX)
                         UI_Flags(0)
                       {