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From: zben@ni.umd.edu (Ben Cranston)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: A suggestion for Apple (AppleEvents/Finder).. Please Read (Apple)
Summary: Wild-card FREF lets you look at ALL file types
Keywords: Finder, AppleEvents, Apple Events
Message-ID: <1991Jun3.185004.29076@ni.umd.edu>
Date: 3 Jun 91 18:50:04 GMT
References: <1991Jun2.112418.27577@ulowell.ulowell.edu> <1991Jun2.193409.13487@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
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In article <1991Jun2.193409.13487@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> resnick@cogsci.uiuc.edu
(Pete Resnick) writes:

> ...  So if I want to open a
> bunch of TEXT files, I select them all in Finder and drag them all on
> top of my alias. This doesn't, however, work for performing other
> functions so far as I can figure out yet, so your idea would definitely
> be a great one.

If any particular application is generic enough to be useful for ALL file
types (say a backup utility or a checksummer or a compactor) then it could
be given a wildcard FREF.  Then the Finder would pass it ANY kind of file
that was selected and dragged on top of it.  From VI-9-15:

"Create a 'FREF' resource that specifies '****' as the file type to allow
users to drag all file types -- including applications, system extensions,
documents, and so on, but not including disks or folders -- to your
application icon.  If you create three 'FREF' resources that specify 'disk',
'fold', and '****' as their file types ... dragging any desktop icon to your
application icon."