This is one of those "Doh, how easy, why didn't I think of that" kind 
of things.  So I thought I'd pass it on.

At one time someone here on the list (sorry, I can't find the 
original e-mail) asked me about 'touch'.  That is where a Finder 
object has its modification date set to 'todays' date.  I thought 
this would be a good thing for a D&D aapplication (usually called a 
droplet)  It suggested that an alias dropped on the droplet should 
'touch' the alias not the original.

My DropShell would do the job but for one problem.  Any alias I 
dropped on it is resolved to the original.  The FSSpec is of the 
original not the alias.  That would not do.

I looked through the IM manuals but couldn't find an answer so I 
asked on comp.sys.mac.programmer.help

The answer came back so simple I thought I'd mention it here.

Simply add a 'BNDL' file type of 'alis'

I've known that a 'BNDL' file type of 'disk' will allow dropping 
volumes, 'fold' will allow folders and '****' will allow dropping 
anything.  I thought that the Finder always resolved aliases but if 
the file type is set to 'alis' it will not resolve the alias file.

I haven't tried using this with an open file dialog so I don't know 
what will happen in that case.

So I'm going to make a small application based on DropShell that will 
'touch' anything dropped on it including aliases.  I'm considering 
using keyboard modifiers to touch the alias as a special case. 
Dropping folders should touch all the folders and files inside.

I'm thinking of calling it DropTouch.

Heather