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in my office we're using Dropbox as our file server and we're sending a lot of file paths all the time. I'm looking for a way to speed this up.

I know how to change the shortcut cmd + option + c so that it copies a relative file path instead of an absolute path. Now, I would like to create a keyboard shortcut, that works in every application, to open the path. I would like to be able to highlight a text (i.e. the path), and then the shortcut opens the finder, opens the go-to-window, pastes the path in there and opens the path.

Is there a way to automate this process? It is very important, though, that this works in every application that we use (Outlook, MS Teams, Signal for Mac...)

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  • Can you explain the process a little more? Are the relative paths the same on every computer? The Terminal command open will launch a file path without replicating the manual process of pasting text into the Go To window.
    – benwiggy
    Apr 5, 2022 at 8:20
  • Sure, let me explain in a bit more detail. Let's say, you wanted to share the file "Users/myusername/Dropbox/folder/file" with me. When you copy this path, it is automatically changed to "~/Dropbox/folder/file" so I could copy it and paste it in the go-to-window within finder (because I have the same Dropbox synced to my computer as you). This is how we do it manually at the moment. However, I would like to be able to highlight the path in your email and hit a keyboard shortcut so that a new finder window with the right location is opened automatically.
    – dodo
    Apr 5, 2022 at 9:11

1 Answer 1

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MacOS has a Service called "Open", which works on selected text in Mail.

Select the text, right click and select "Open".

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You have to confirm the procedure, as opening links in emails can be risky, but otherwise, this will do what you want.

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