How to Use LaunchBar Spotlight Search Custom Action

[JMichaelTX]

Continuing the discussion from How display all files in folder with a trigger before each file name:

@Tom

@JMichaelTX

The only thing missing (but maybe @Tom knows a way) for me is to filter the list by file extension, like "png" or "scriv"; OR by file type, like "image".

Use the excellent Spotlight Search for LaunchBar Action:

1. Select a folder in LB
2. Send the folder to the Spotlight Search action
3. Now you can search by kind etc. in that folder

Example:

Note:

Don’t confound this action with LB’s standard hotkey for Spotlight Search. To the standard SL search you cannot send items; this is a world of difference.

@Tom, many thanks for your detailed instructions. Unfortunately I cannot get the Spotlight Search Custom Action to work. I'm probably missing something basic, but I thought I'd post my problem as a new topic so that others could easily find it.

Here's a very short video of my attempts to use this Custom Action.
The issue comes down to: Once I have the Spotlight Search Custom Action selected, how do I activate it so I can type in search terms?
Pressing RETURN does NOT work for me.

##launchbar Video
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7107976/LaunchBar/Demo-LaunchBar-Spotlight-Search-Failure.mp4

Thanks again for all your help, Tom.

[rolian]

Once you’ve got the folder in LB, tab and use the non-custom Spotlight Search, not the Search in Spotlight custom action. When the Spotlight Search action is highlighted, press spacebar. Then you get the screen Tom showed. If you want extension pdf, it is enough to type in “pdf” w/out quotes and then do control-enter. You don’t even need to mess with “kind:” unless you have the extensions appearing elsewhere in your filenames.
Works for me at least - hope it helps you, because you’ve been an enormous resource for all of us in this forum.

[Tom]

@JMichaelTX

Pressing RETURN does NOT work for me.

Sorry, I’m unable to reproduce the behavior from your video. I’ve even renamed the action like you did and it still works

You have downloaded the latest version from here, right? Version 2.1.2.

[JMichaelTX]

@rolian

When the Spotlight Search action is highlighted, press spacebar.

Thanks @rollian! That is the key!
I need to press SPACE instead of RETURN.

So, for anyone else trying to make this work:

###Steps to Use LaunchBar Custom Spotlight Search Action

1. Select a folder in LB

• 

.

• Send the folder to the Spotlight Search action
  • Press TAB to Send
    .
    
    .
  • Select the CUSTOM Spotlight Search Action (by mouse or arrow keys)
  • Press SPACE to activate the search
    .
    
    .
• Now you can search by kind etc. in that folder
  • Type the Spotlight Search Terms in the top box
  • Don't worry about typing over the path of the folder. The path gets stored in the Custom Action.
    .
    
    .

• Press RETURN to See a List of Script that I can Execute
  .
  

My sincere thanks to @tom and @rolian for helping me make this work.

Still, one of the confusing things about LB is when to press which key:

* Return
* SPACE
* TAB
* Arrow Keys

I'm sure there are some rules for these, I just need to assimilate them.

[Tom]

@JMichaelTX

I need to press SPACE instead of RETURN.

Odd. Return works also here.

[JMichaelTX]

@Tom

Odd. Return works also here.

It is odd, but when I use RETURN it works like in my above video.
I just confirmed it again.

Maybe this is some LB setting?

[Tom]

@JMichaelTX

Maybe this is some LB setting?

Yes, I thought also. But by now I haven’t found anything suspicious.