How to load files/folders by path?

Hi

I recently moved over to Mac from Windows and am a little perplexed that there doesn't seem to be a start > run equivalent.

If I know the path to a file, e.g. /applications/something/somefile.txt, how I can I load it without having to traverse through all those folders in finder? This is very slow to do for long paths when you just want to get to the file in question.

I thought perhaps you could enter full paths to files into the 'search' field, but no dice.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

Try hitting command+space - then typing your file name in the spotlight search window - once you see it - just hit enter. You can also use the Go to folder window - hit shift+cmd+G

That brings up Spotlight, but it says 'no results found' for my item - or, it seems, for any items in my target directory (/Applications/Opera.app/Contents/Resources/styles)

The path to my item, by the way, is correct (I confirm it with clicks through Finder).

Thanks

Spotlight won't search within app bundles because, for Spotlight, an app bundle is a file. Your best bet is Shift-Command-G as noted by BLVPI above. The only caveat with using that shortcut is that Finder has to have focus which can be a pain.

Here's a bit of a long winded way to get what you want:
1. Open up Automator.
2. Select "service".
3. Change "service receives selected" to "no input" and the next drop down to "any application".
4. Add a "Ask for Text" action and fill in a question (something like "What do you want to run?")
5. Add a "Run Shell Script" below that and change the value to the following: 6. Give it a try by hitting run. You should see a dialog box ask your question. Input the file or directory you want to open and push ok. If all went well, it should run/open the file/folder.
7. Save it.

You should now notice that regardless of application, you can go to its menu > Services and the service should be there. If you want that to have a keyboard shortcut, open up System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcut. Double click to the right of your new service (it should be towards the bottom of the services) and give it a shortcut. One thing to be careful of though - don't give it one that is used in other applications. Either make it really unique or don't give it one.

Thanks very much. I'm a little staggered that such a simple action requires such lengthy steps. Perhaps, as a developer, I should have stuck with Windows

mitya said:

Thanks very much. I'm a little staggered that such a simple action requires such lengthy steps. Perhaps, as a developer, I should have stuck with Windows

Click to expand...

Did you try Shift-Command-G?

Open files from the Terminal with the appropriate application - Mac OS X Hints

assuming you're like me, and always have a terminal window open.

My solution is a glorified, non-terminal way of doing what Dysfunction has noted. Either solution should work depending on what you're comfortable with.

One thing to note, as I alluded to earlier, is that you're trying to access something that is inside an app bundle. App bundles are treated as files despite the fact that they are technically folders. Anything outside an app bundle should be easily accessible with Spotlight.