how to open a file?

OK, I mean I know how to open a file. Normally I open an app, click file/open, and then select the file from folder it is in, and the file opens. Either that or I navigate to the file in Finder, and double click and it opens. That's all good.

But as a former Windows user, there was something so simple, but it still gives me problems on the Mac. Sometimes I have a long path to get to the file, like this: /Users/DanT/.bluemix/plugins/container-service/clusters/subtitler-cluster/kube-config-hou02-subtitler-cluster.yml

And rather than look for and click through every folder to get to that file, (which apparently I have to do on the mac) I just want to open copy/paste the whole path somehow and magically open it, which is how Windows worked. Copy the path, paste it into the file/open dialog, and it would just open.

Can a Mac do that?

command-shift G appears to work from any file-open dialog

Hi and Good Evening.

Yes, you can.

Once you have identified the path in Finder - you will see it at the very bottom of the window - Right Click on the Path and, from the drop down menu, choose "Services" and from that list, select "Copy Path to Clipboard".

Does that suffice?

Because there are other ways of searching for a File - Spotlight (native to Apple), Easy Find, Find Any File, - both pay-for but much better than Spotlight in my opinion.

Ian

IWT said:

Once you have identified the path in Finder - you will see it at the very bottom of the window -

Click to expand...

...if you have the Path Bar turned on.

DThompson55 said:

OK, I mean I know how to open a file. Normally I open an app, click file/open, and then select the file from folder it is in, and the file opens. Either that or I navigate to the file in Finder, and double click and it opens. That's all good.

But as a former Windows user, there was something so simple, but it still gives me problems on the Mac. Sometimes I have a long path to get to the file, like this: /Users/DanT/.bluemix/plugins/container-service/clusters/subtitler-cluster/kube-config-hou02-subtitler-cluster.yml

And rather than look for and click through every folder to get to that file, (which apparently I have to do on the mac) I just want to open copy/paste the whole path somehow and magically open it, which is how Windows worked. Copy the path, paste it into the file/open dialog, and it would just open.

Can a Mac do that?

Click to expand...

Very simple, make sure the path bar is showing at the bottom of finder. if not got to Finder and under the View menu choose Show Path bar. Now when an App ask for you to dig to find a file, find it in Finder and it will show at the bottom of Finder, just drag the last thing (the name of the file) in the Path bar and drop on the Open box of the app, there will probably be something already in the open box, just drop over it. If you want you can drag the name of the folder and then select the file to open, This may help if you want to go back to that folder for another file.

DThompson55 said:

But as a former Windows user, there was something so simple, but it still gives me problems on the Mac. Sometimes I have a long path to get to the file, like this: /Users/DanT/.bluemix/plugins/container-service/clusters/subtitler-cluster/kube-config-hou02-subtitler-cluster.yml

And rather than look for and click through every folder to get to that file, (which apparently I have to do on the mac) I just want to open copy/paste the whole path somehow and magically open it, which is how Windows worked. Copy the path, paste it into the file/open dialog, and it would just open.

Can a Mac do that?

Click to expand...

Where was this feature in winOS or in the app?

What app? Some apps have an "Open Recent" feature? They also "usually" remember the last location for save or opened files, does your Mac do that?

Sometimes I have a long path to get to the file, like this: /Users/DanT/.bluemix/plugins/container-service/clusters/subtitler-cluster/kube-config-hou02-subtitler-cluster.yml

And rather than look for and click through every folder to get to that file, (which apparently I have to do on the mac) I just want to open copy/paste the whole path somehow and magically open it, which is how Windows worked. Copy the path, paste it into the file/open dialog, and it would just open.

Click to expand...

Not being a Windows user at all, I'm not familiar how or where the filepath was stored to be quickly accessed and used, but I dare say that just having a folder for such text clippings could work fairly well, or even an app like Find Any File that could look into such places as you used for an example.

BTW: That is not a normal place one would normally be in or that Spotlight would index as a user accessible file.

FAF can also keep a list of "Recent" items you could utilize if you need to access some files or folders frequently:
http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/index.php

PS: You could also use and keep aliases of the items you want quick access to somewhere handy.

A quick select the alias icon and then right-click >"show original" and you're there.

PS: You can also rename aliases to maybe something more meaningful.

Just a few thoughts and I'm sure there are other ways.

Maybe post back with your thoughts on the Macs various methods or if you need more help or suggestions.




- Patrick
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