How to filter file paths from hotkey action

[Tekl]

Hi,

 

I would like to create a hotkey for the Finder that opens a selected file in different apps, depending on its filename/path. I tried the filter utility but it does not let any file go through. Even if a filter set to "is not equal to" with an empty value does not execute the connected action.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Tekl

[juliosecco]

Hi Teki,

 

I think  the best way should be to use a file action.

 

you can define a 'File Action' workflow, that can be used on files reached navigating using Alfred, or on selected files hitting the apposite Alfred Hotkey.

you can personalize the hotkey in Alfread Features -> File Search -> Actions, on the bottom of the page.

 

another approach could be to have an hotkey simply launch a workflow with an applescript that retrieves the selected files, but I think the first solution should be better.

 

there is a thread about that http://www.alfredforum.com/topic/2177-use-selected-files-in-finder-for-a-alfred-workflow/

 

hope is a start for you

[deanishe]

Hi,

 

I would like to create a hotkey for the Finder that opens a selected file in different apps, depending on its filename/path. I tried the filter utility but it does not let any file go through. Even if a filter set to "is not equal to" with an empty value does not execute the connected action.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Tekl

 

 

Can you upload the workflow somewhere so we can have a look at it?

[Tekl]

Hi, thanks for your answers. I don't find a way to upload attachments, so here is a link. Sorry, it can't be downloaded from Safari because I use Tresorit instead of Dropbox.

 

https://tresor.it/s#S2apJh4ALfSDt4_TCaRidA

[deanishe]

As best I can tell, Selection in OS X and the Filter Utility (and Debug Utility) do not get along if the selection is files, not text.

 

I'll look into it a bit more, but I think it's a bug (or a feature) in Alfred. Fundamentally, I don't think a file selection can work well with a Filter, as the input is a list of strings, not a single string, like you get from other inputs.

 

At any rate, this script will do what you want.

 

Connect your Hotkey to a Run Script Action, set Language to /usr/bin/python and paste the following in the Script box. Remove all other elements.

 

from __future__ import print_function

 

import os

from subprocess import check_call, CalledProcessError

import sys

 

# Extensions to open with Affinity Photo

AP_FILES = ['.pdf', '.psd', '.gif', '.tif', '.afphoto', '.png']

# Extensions to open with TextMate

TM_FILES = ['.txt']

 

 

def log(s, *args):

    """Simple STDERR logging."""

    if args:

        s = s % args

    print(s, file=sys.stderr)

 

 

# Open matching files with the appropriate application

for p in sys.argv[1:]:

    x = os.path.splitext(p)[1].lower()

    app = None

 

    if x in AP_FILES:

        app = 'Affinity Photo'

 

    elif x in TM_FILES:

        app = 'TextMate'

    

    if not app:

        log('Ignored : %s', s)

        continue

    

    log('Opening %r with %s ...', p, app)

 

    cmd = ['open', '-a', app, p]

    try:

        check_call(cmd)

    except CalledProcessError as err:

 

        log('Error opening %r with %s : %r', p, app, err)