Finding Files on macOS

[ccstone]

Finding Applications, Files, and Folders on macOS

( Things all savvy Mac users should know )

---

AppleScript – Finding an Application

tell application "System Events"
   set sevAlias to path to it
end tell
tell application "Finder"
   activate
   reveal sevAlias
end tell

Spotlight in the Finder – Finding a Hidden System File

You may have to turn on “System files” using “Other…” at the bottom of the parameter menu.

Spotlight in the Terminal:

It's a good idea for any Mac user to have a real find utility on their system.

EasyFind (Freeware)

Find Any File (My personal favorite – $6.00 US)

Google

I may add some more to this later – suggestions are welcome.

-Chris

[DanThomas]

I've used EasyFind for years, and it's been really useful. What do you like about "Find Any File"? (I haven't tried it yet.)

[ccstone]

Hey Dan,

Find Any File has a better UI than EasyFind in my opinion.

You can filter found results.

You can show results in a hierarchical tree.

Find Any File used to be good bit faster than EasyFind too, although I haven't tested them head-to-head in quite a while.

-Chris

[ComplexPoint]

Finding an Application – a JavaScript variant:

(() => {
    "use strict";

    ObjC.import("AppKit");


    // appPathFromName :: String -> IO FilePath
    const appPathFromName = appName => {
        const
            path = $.NSWorkspace.sharedWorkspace
            .fullPathForApplication(appName);

        return path.isNil() ? (
            `Application not found as spelled: "${appName}"`
        ) : path.js;
    };


    return appPathFromName("TaskPaper");
})();

[_jims]

Great suggestions above. I'll add HoudahSpot which is fast and feature-rich. As a bonus, if you have Setapp, it's included.

[ccstone]

@_jims

I'll add HoudahSpot

The only trouble with HoudahSpot is that it's dependent upon Spotlight indexing, but that said I've owned a license for it since v1.0. I use it all the time.