Starting Apps with the alt Key and choosing the library

[Davide]

Hi there,

 

maybe a silly question: If I start in Finder e.g. iTunes, or the old iPhoto or Bento (and there are certainly more Apps with an library) by holding down the alt/option key it opens a dialog window which let me choose the path to a different library for this App. How can I do that with Alfred?

If I start iTunes from Alfred with the alt key it search for it with spotlight. The advanced settings from Alfred doesn't show me any option for starting this dialog window.

 

 

[Vero]

Hi there,

 

maybe a silly question: If I start in Finder e.g. iTunes, or the old iPhoto or Bento (and there are certainly more Apps with an library) by holding down the alt/option key it opens a dialog window which let me choose the path to a different library for this App. How can I do that with Alfred?

If I start iTunes from Alfred with the alt key it search for it with spotlight. The advanced settings from Alfred doesn't show me any option for starting this dialog window.

 

 

Hi there,

 

You'll need to set your workflow hotkey to "Pass through modifier keys" as with the example here:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/triggers/hotkey/#tips

 

Your hotkey needs to contain Alt, and you may have to play around to see how it behaves with your chosen hotkeys, but it should work

 

Cheers,

Vero

[Davide]

Hi Vero,

 

thanks for your help! I tried it but it starts only iTunes not the library dialog window of iTunes. (Tried it with Hotkey and Launch Files & Apps.) Could you help me a bit more? Sorry!

 

Suggestion:

How about a further iTunes Command within Alfred for choosing the library?

Or even better, a workflow template which opens the dialog window of any app with an library. Drag your desired app and choose your hotkey and that's it. Could it be so easy?

Edited March 2, 2016 by Davide

[dfay]

It's not so easy b/c the commands to open iTunes with a specific library or to choose a library aren't exposed to Applescript.  Which means you'd need to write the iTunes preference file directly from the command line -- see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1693780/applescript-to-launch-itunes-with-a-specific-library.  Or script keystrokes in the Finder. 

 

Doug Adams, who probably knows more about iTunes automation than anyone around, seems to have given up on scripting multiple libraries: http://dougscripts.com/itunes/category/itunes-library-manager/