What is keyboard shortcut for “Open With” in Finder?

Question

How can I open a file with an application, other than the default, using a keyboard shortcut? I dont want to change the default application for the filetype.

eg. sometimes I want to open a .html file using editor instead of browser.

Answer 1

I have used FastScripts to assign a shortcut to this script. It can also be used to select the open recent menus in other applications.

try
    set l to {"Open With", "Open Recent", "Open Recent File", "Recent Projects", "Open Recent Set"}
    tell application "System Events" to tell (process 1 where it is frontmost)
        tell menu bar item 3 of menu bar 1
            click
            repeat with x in l
                try
                    menu item x of menu 1
                    click menu item x of menu 1
                    exit repeat
                end try
            end repeat
        end tell
    end tell
end try

I also used scripts like in 10.6 and earlier:

try
    tell application "Finder"
        open (get selection) using path to application "TextMate"
    end tell
end try

There is a bug that makes them unusable in 10.7 and 10.8 though. It could be avoided by focusing another application at the start, but it results in a visual glitch.

You could also use Automator services, but there is another bug where the shortcuts for services don't always work until the services menu has been shown from the menu bar.

Answer 2

I'm afraid there's not shortcut. You can, though, create your owns.

To do so just:

1. Go to System Preferences / Keyboard / Keyboard Shortcuts / Applications.
2. Click the + button.
3. Choose Finder, from the drop-down list.
4. On the menu title field add the exact name of the menu bar item. It this case it should be Other... instead of Open with.
5. Pick your keyboard shortcut and click Add.

You'll be able to test the shortcut right away. Just mind the Open always with option!