Feature request: sending files to an application

[beejay]

Ok, I'm going to skip all the "I can't use a Mac without Launchbar" and "Launchbar changed my life"-type posts, and we'll take them as implicit, ok? Good!

One feature I really like is opening up selected files in the finder in an application. Let's say I want to open a jpg in Photoshop. The steps are:

- Select file to open in finder
- Command-space to invoke LB
- Command-G to "pick up" the selected file
- Tab to transfer the file to a program
- key shortcut to select the application (say "ps")

Could we in addition have a combined command that *both* picks up the selected file *and* transfers it to the application?

It would cut out the necessity for the tab key - I know it's only one extra keypress, but on an operation you use regularly, a seven-key shortcut gets tedious, and anything to reduce this would be most welcome here, and make a big difference.

- Select file to open in finder
- Command-space to invoke LB
- Command-H (or whatever) to "pick up" the selected file, and transfer it to an app
- key shortcut to select the application (say "ps")


Did I mention how much I love LaunchBar..?

Cheers!

[veke]

You should try, selecting the file in the Finder , enter LB and typ "PS" and drop the file on Photoshop and see what happens.. I think you will like that.

[yanokwa]

Shift-Apple-F will select a file and put it in lauchbar. That will save you a few strokes.

[beejay]

You should try, selecting the file in the Finder , enter LB and typ "PS" and drop the file on Photoshop and see what happens.. I think you will like that.

Select the file
Command-space to enter LB
Type PS

That just runs the application without passing the selected file. I'm not sure what you mean by "drop the file on"...

[beejay]

Shift-Apple-F will select a file and put it in lauchbar. That will save you a few strokes.

Thanks, that works and I didn't know about that one. But it doesn't really save that much:

This:
- Select file to open in finder
- Command-space to invoke LB
- Command-G to "pick up" the selected file (still holding command)
- Tab to transfer the file to a program
- key shortcut to select the application (say "ps")

Turns into:
- Select file to open in finder
- Shift-Apple-F to invoke LB and "pick up" the selected file
- Tab to transfer the file to a program
- key shortcut to select the application (say "ps")

It actually works out to be the same number of keypress in practice, and is still a little awkward. I'd still really like:
- Command-space to invoke LB
- Command-KEY to pick up and transfer file to:
- application shortcut

as in practice this turns effectively into two key presses + the application, which is much more comfortable and efficient - it feels like you just press space then a key then the application:

- Hold command
- Press space
- still holding command
- press KEY
- type application abreviation

[veke]

If you set the preferences "Drop onto application:" to "Open with application" instead of "Ask" you should be able to select a file in the finder, get the application in LaunchBar (Photoshop for instance) and then just press command-D to have it open in Photoshop. That should result in just 2 strokes. First command-space to activate LB, then "PS", then command-D. I don't really see how it could be done any smoother than that? I use it all the time. You can just drag the file with the mouse to whatever application you find with LB, even a second, third or fourth result in the list.

I might have missunderstood your request, but I hope this helps you out!

[beejay]

Ok, I get what you mean now, and I just tried it out.

It works as you suggest, thanks for that, but it feels so clunky as I'm so used to cmd-space *diddle* and bash the return key to execute.

I will live with it for a while and see how it works for me in practice. I'd still prefer for LB to have an option so it would work in the way I describe, but in abscence of that it's a good substitute - thanks for that!

> You can just drag the file with the mouse to whatever
> application you find with LB, even a second, third or
> fourth result in the list.

Not so practical for me (in this instance at least), as I'm looking for keyboard only solutions, but thanks for the tip!