CopyPath lets you control/right-click on any Finder item and choose the CopyPath item to copy the item's complete file path to the clipboard (in either Unix or Mac format). You can do this by forcing the Finder to quit (it will relaunch) or by logging out and then back in.Ī few of my favorite contextual menu plug-ins are the freeware CopyPath ( ) and Open Subfolder X ( ), and the shareware Ittec ( ). In order to take advantage of the new plug-in, you'll need to relaunch the Finder. To install a plug-in, simply drag it to /Library/Contextual Menu Items (for use by all users) or ~/Library/Contextual Menu Items (for use only by your own account). You can get new contextual menu plug-ins from the usual Mac software websites such as Version Tracker and MacUpdate. These plug-ins provide additional functionality to the Finder's contextual menus such as the ability to view folder contents by simply control-clicking on a folder or the ability to move file(s) to a specific location without having to drag them anywhere. The Finder's contextual menus provide many useful functions for working with files and folders however, it's possible to add a good deal of functionality to these menus by installing what are called contextual menu plug-ins. Now let's briefly revisit how to add your own contextual menu plug-ins. Experiment a bit by control/right-clicking in various places and in various contexts within your favorite applications you may be surprised at the additional power and flexibility that exists. Many applications also support contextual menus however, instead of acting on files and folders in the Finder, these menus will allow you to perform actions on the documents or files being used in the application. These differences illustrate what is meant by the term "contextual." In addition, if you click on the Desktop or inside an open folder, you can create a new folder or get info on the existing folder (the Desktop is a folder), and the Desktop's contextual menu lets you open the Desktop pane of System Preferences. Instead of confusing you with options that may not apply, the menu changes to accommodate the particular file that is selected. The menu for an application lets you view the contents of the application package.
The menu for a file lets you open the file with a particular application (Open With …). You can move a file, folder, or application to the Trash using the contextual menu, or you can eject/unmount a volume. Figure 5.17: Contextual menus for a file, a folder, a volume, an application, the Desktop, and inside a folderĪlthough most Finder contextual menus contain the Help, Open, Get Info, Duplicate, Make Alias, and Copy commands, the rest of the menu is different for each file.