Bob Covy wrote:
"After a last bit of AEHandler touchup in my main [...]"

Herbie wrote:
"Just curious, did most of your AE-code work without alterations?"
[...]

Bob Covy wrote:
"Herbie, greetings, and thanks. Hope you are doing well."

Everything is fine here, except some viruses in my nose and up the 
hill, direction brain. ;-)

Bob Covy wrote:
"I put // FBTOCEED! just about everywhere I made a major change or 
deletion. That way I can search comments and find my potential 
changed areas..though since it's in C now, it's all changed areas."

Good idea!

Bob Covy wrote:

"Local Fn InstallAllAEHandlers
dim as OSErr err

err = fn AEInstallEventHandler( _kCoreEventClass, 
_kAEOpenApplication, @Fn AEOpenUp    , 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler( _kCoreEventClass, 
_kAEQuitApplication, @Fn AEQuitTime  , 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler( _kCoreEventClass, _kAEOpenDocuments 
, @Fn AEOpenMeDoc , 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler( _kCoreEventClass, _kAEPrintDocuments 
, @Fn AEPrintThis , 0, _false )
'~'1

err = fn AEInstallEventHandler(_"CPtr",_"Prog", @Fn 
AEPluginEventHandler, 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler(_"CPtr",_"PRec", @Fn 
AEPluginEventHandler, 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler(_"CPtr",_"pInt", @Fn 
AEPluginEventHandler, 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler(_"CPtr",_"FWrt", @Fn 
AEPluginEventHandler, 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler(_"CPtr",_"FDun", @Fn 
AEPluginEventHandler, 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler(_"CPtr",_"FRtn", @Fn 
AEPluginEventHandler, 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler(_"CPtr",_"Aliv", @Fn 
AEPluginEventHandler, 0, _false )
err = fn AEInstallEventHandler(_"CPtr",_"Eror", @Fn 
AEPluginEventHandler, 0, _false )
'~'1
end fn"

Well I see and as you wrote, it's more or less the AE-minimum.

My question was related to my impressions and reflections some years 
ago, when it became clear that we shall suffer from major changes 
with Mac-coding, that it might be a good idea to do everything that 
is doable (Finder and File operations) by using AEs in our FB code. 
As far as I can see -- actually not very far, since I'm still around 
with Tiger -- AE is still supported under Cocoa and Lion...

All the very best

Herbie