How do you get the root folder to recognize updated file in nested folder?

Question

I believe in OS 9, a modified file nested in a folder would trigger the root folder to recognize and update to the top of the "date modified" column. As long as I've used the Mac (20 years) I've used the "date modified" to force my current client folders to the top of the column. Lately, I have many nested folders in the root client folder. When I make changes to a file in a nested folder, OS X doesn't make the root folder recognize changes within a nested folder. I realize there is not likely to be a fix for this in OS X, as Apple probably deems this behavior to be proper (I do not,) so my question would be expanded to include suggestions for third party software that may accomplish this.

Answer 1

Sorry, posted that last post and ran out of time while editing it. It should read like this:
"Yes, if you ADD a new item or folder to a folder, it updates the root folder, but if you simply MODIFY a file (like Photoshop) within a subfolder, the root folder WILL NOT update the date modified. Check it out."
Actually, whether the directory that a file is re-saved in will be modified or not can depend on the application in question and how it saves files.
Let's say a folder has a single file in it. The modification date of the folder will be the last time a change was made to the directory, either by adding or removing an item from it. (This can include the invisible .DS_Store file in which the Finder saves view settings for a folder, which can often be written without you're realizing it unless you have the Finder show all files like I do).
Then, let's say you open that file, which is a stream of bytes, in an application. You make some changes which alters the representation of the stream of bytes in RAM. The application then saves the changes to the file by filling it with the stream bytes as they now are in RAM. Modifying the contents of a file in this manner does not alter the directory that it's in. The modified date of the folder should remain unchanged.
Some applications use a different method than above to save files, however. Let's say that theoretically while the application is re-writing to the original file during a save, the power goes out and your computer shuts down. There's a good chance that the document that was being saved is now corrupt. A safer method that some applications use, is to first write out the information to a new file in the same directory as the original file, then delete the original file, and then rename the new file so that it has the same attributes as the old file. This method will, of course, modify the directory that the original file was in by adding and removing a file.
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