Shift double click to open with alternative application

Questions & Suggestions
#1

For example, a jpeg file, I want to double click to open the photo file with default viewer, shift double click to open it with a photo editor.

This is a very common use. Every time I met this one, I use “open with” over and over again.

Until I find some applications can handle “cmd+double click”. Entropy(a nice zip tool) has this feature.

Can keyboard maestro do such thing? I mean, km can assign “shift+double click” to open the object with any kind of application.

I have found “device key” can use “shift+double click”, but I don’t know which action should I use.

#2

Assuming you're opening these files from the Finder, and you already have the trigger you want working, you can use this action:

For Each.kmactions (775 Bytes)
image

Just change "Default Application" to the application you want the file(s) to be opened with.

#3

Even a normal double-click is NOT a trigger for KM, so I really doubt adding a SHIFT to that will help.

But, as @gglick has suggested, you could open a file selected in Finder, PathFinder (or really anywhere) by using a KM Macro to do, but use a hotkey trigger. I have just such a Macro I use to open files in what I call their "alternate" app. If this is of interest to you, let me know and I'll clean it up and post.

Here's the image of the macro:

jmOld

1 Like
#4

I like your idea, it works. I have another idea to use launchbar. The actions are:

  1. trigger “instant send”
  2. get the word with applescript and write if logic to choose the application
  3. type the application name in launchbar
  4. type enter

This method will have a little delay but it even works in applications beyond finder.
I also find “instant send” feature is a god send. I hope keyboard maetro will have the same feature one day.

ps: yes, double click any mouse button is not supported now. I see there is a setting “tapped twice” in device key. But mouse button can only use “pressed” setting. Maybe it is the limit.