When I want to download something in Safari, like http://foo.com/bar.zip, all I have to do is paste that link into the Downloads window. Is there a way to do this in Chrome?
I've gotten used to Safari, hitting ⌥⌘L (Downloads window), and then pasting. It's quick, neat, and saves me from going to File » Save As….
I like to keep my hands on the keyboard, so if there is a quick way to do this without using a mouse, that's my ideal solution.
Best Answer
Using
Automator, it's quite easy to create a Service that downloads selected URLs.Open Automator, create a Service that receives URLs as input in any application. Add the Download URLs action (don't worry about the Safari icon, the application isn't used at all or even started when executing). Save as "Download URL" or similar. You can now access the service from Application menu » Services » Download URL
Go to System Preferences » Keyboard » Keyboard Shortcuts » Services, locate your new service, and assign a keyboard shortcut.
To use your service, select a URL and press the assigned keyboard shortcut. The file will appear in the folder specified in Automator.
You can optionally append the Reveal Finder Items Automator action. This would open your downloads folder after the file is saved, and select the downloaded file.