How to open a file in the default application for it directly from QuickLook

finderquicklooksnow leopard

Is there a way to open a file straight from QuickLook?

I have a directory containing symlinks to the PDF files I usually refer to. I cannot copy the files locally and I must use symlinks. When I need to open one of the files, I can't rely on Finder icon previews as these do not show for symlinks (I think that's absurd, don't you? Is there any reason why they would not?). Not knowing how to pick the file I am interested in, I select them all and press Option + Space. Immediately following Option + Space, I press Command + Enter and finally see them all tiled across the screen (Note: Command + Enter is not bound in Finder as far as I can see, why not allow users to press that directly?).

Once I choose the file I want, with the mouse or the arrow keys, I don't see how I could open just that file in the corresponding application (say: Adobe Reader).

That, to me, is dumbfounding. Command + O opens ALL files I selected to begin with but I think QuickLook should allow for opening the file currently being previewed with a UI element or a keystroke, shouldn’t it? It is so strange that it almost can't be, maybe I am just missing the obvious… in that case I apologise.

For the record, I am running OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8.

Best Answer

Quick Look windows have had a button for opening files since Lion:

lion quick look

They're not shown in the full screen slideshow windows though. Holding or secondary-clicking (but not control-clicking) the button shows a menu for selecting other applications.

Related Solutions

Finder Cover Flow Icon Preview not working

hm. Removing my answer, because not helped.

So - you got a message into Console.log. So, come step-by-step. :)

What return this command?

lipo -detailed_info /System/Library/Frameworks/QuickLook.framework/Resources/quicklookd.app/Contents/MacOS/quicklookd

Should this:

Fat header in: /System/Library/Frameworks/QuickLook.framework/Resources/quicklookd.app/Contents/MacOS/quicklookd
fat_magic 0xcafebabe
nfat_arch 2
architecture x86_64
    cputype CPU_TYPE_X86_64
    cpusubtype CPU_SUBTYPE_X86_64_ALL
    offset 4096
    size 504912
    align 2^12 (4096)
architecture i386
    cputype CPU_TYPE_I386
    cpusubtype CPU_SUBTYPE_I386_ALL
    offset 512000
    size 399280
    align 2^12 (4096)

Detach the QuickLook window from the Finder

Yes Thilo, there is a way. It will require a bit of command line wizardry though. As long as you're not allergic you can do the following:

Open Terminal.app
Change directories to the location of the file you want to view using QuickLook.
- For example, if the file you want to view using QuickLook is on your desktop you would type: "cd ~/Desktop" (no quotes, caps matter, and ~ is a shortcut to your home directory).
Now type: "qlmanage -p filename.pdf" (replacing filename with the name of your file and pdf with the extension of your file).

A new icon will appear in your Dock called "qlmanage". This is the helper application that is usually launched headlessly by the Finder. By launching it from the command line it becomes accessible via the Dock, Command-Tab etc.

Just for the record (and the curios) this little application is stored deep in the OS where mortals are not meant to tread at this location:

/System/Library/Frameworks/QuickLook.framework/Versions/A/Resources/quicklookd.app/Contents/MacOS

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