Migrating from Windows, there are a few features that you miss using OS X. My chief concern when I started using a Mac was how to create new files without opening any application.
In Windows, creating new files was as easy as right clicking then selecting new -> file type.
![[Right click menu image]](http://dev.lipidity.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/newfolder.gif)
How in the world are you meant to do it on a Mac?
According to Macworld’s Dan Frakes, Document Palette is the primary choice. By pressing the key combination, the application shows a semi-transparent palette similar to Mac OS X’s application switcher wherein you select your file type and a new file is birthed.
All this for $8? It’s a great app, but hardly seems worth it.
For Windows users longing for the right click functionality, Dan recommends NuFile. OK, Let’s have at it. Based on Dan’s recommendation, I’ve used NuFile for quite some time. Perhaps I should rephrase that. I’ve had NuFile installed for quite some time. Although it does a great job of taking a Windows feature and “Macifying” it, it takes effort to right click, select the “new file” option, then choose the file type (Fig 4). Yes, I’m lazy (in the productive sense). Blame Apple.
Yesterday I uninstalled NuFile. I couldn’t stand it. “A new file in less than two clicks” claims the website, but it fails to mention having to move the mouse to get to the place you want to click. I’m lazy (in the productive sense); I use Quicksilver.
Most people, as I did, deactivate or ignore the “Make New” action. Don’t know what I mean? Try using it. By default, nothing happens.
That’s when I found a nice gem that Alcor dropped in the Quicksilver forums. Turns out, to use the make new action requires a bit of manual setup - but the rewards are worth it.
Navigate to ~/Library/Application Support/Quicksilver and create a new folder. Call it “Templates”. Getting this? Inside the folder you make whatever file type you’d like to store as a template. For example, I’ve got a CSS file, HTML document, PHP file and a JS file for web development. You could also add a Objective-C header file, a Word document, Keynote presentation or any other file you’d like to be able to create at your leisure. What’s more, these files don’t have to be blank. Your HTML document can contain the basic HTML framework (A head and body, and perhaps a blank title). The header file can have a blank Objective-C class header, and your Keynote presentation can be preset with a theme, styles and content.
Now, this is where things start to get interesting. Because you can create templates for files with content inside them, you could really do anything you like. Have a template for an invoice, a formal letter, a formatted HTML document to fit your site. This redefines the concept of a template. Well, not really, but it’s how templates should be. Perhaps create a template for an install guide, or readme file if you’re a developer. If you go to school, have a template for experiment reports for science, or for weekly homework. The possibilities are endless.
Is there an easier way to achieve this that I’ve missed? Do you prefer something different, or did you find this article useful? Be sure to tell me that you’re listening (or reading) and post a comment.
19 Comments so far
Leave a commentThe direkt link to the relevant post in the Quicksilver forums would be this, then. Thanks for sharing!
voiced by Leif on February 1, 2007 8:31 pm | Permalink
I assume “new file” means “new text file”?
You can take an existing text file, select it, and do command-D to duplicate it. (Finder: File/Duplicate)
You can take an existing file, select it, do Finder: File/Get Info (command-I) to bring up the info pane, click the checkbox “stationery pad”. Close the info pane. Whenever you double-click that file in the future, a copy of it will be created and opened in the application that created the original file.
You can get PathFinder, which is a very nice replacement for the Finder (particularly if you are programmer), and create a new text document with PathFinder: File/New Text File (or File/New HTML File) and save the new file wherever you want.
PathFinder also allows you to customize its right-click/control-click menu, so you can probably put New Text File (or New HTML File) into the right-click/control-click menu.
You can go to the Terminal, and type a command like
echo “” > filename.txt
The thing is, I almost never need to create a text file without editing it in some way, so creating the text file in TextEdit or some other editing program just seems natural to me.
recorded by keith ray on February 2, 2007 1:51 am | Permalink
Thanks Keith, I didn’t know about the Stationary Pad feature.
I also hardly ever need to create a file without editing it in some way (if I do, there’s the ‘Create File’ command in QS), but I think the template system is very cool, in that you can have preset content in the file (as you can with Stationary Pad), but you don’t need to navigate through Finder to find the file you want to duplicate.
I suppose it’s just personal preference, though. I use Quicksilver for almost everything, so using this feature just becomes part of my routine.
determined by Ankur on February 2, 2007 3:41 pm | Permalink
This post was featured on MacBreak Weekly. Wow.
proclaimed by Ankur on March 16, 2007 6:40 pm | Permalink
Try NuFile: http://growlichat.com/NuFile.php
disclosed by A J Sedlak on March 26, 2007 11:17 pm | Permalink
Sorry-just saw the part about NuFile in your post-I retract my suggestion
expressed by A J Sedlak on March 26, 2007 11:18 pm | Permalink
err..i think its the same step in windows also..right click,select new file,select file type. i dont understand what u actually want here? the same thing in windows or something better?
divulged by adi on March 27, 2007 12:35 pm | Permalink
I was looking for a way to create new files. Not necessarily a mimic of the Windows style implementation, as long it got the job done. Being used to the Mac and Quicksilver, navigating through a menu just didn’t seem fast enough. That’s after you take into account the fact that you have to aim your mouse at the menu item, wait for the submenu to show, then select your desired file type. Essentially, I’ve been spoilt by all the shortcuts I’ve been using, and this just adds another to the list, so it fits almost seamlessly into my workflow.
voiced by Ankur on March 27, 2007 1:39 pm | Permalink
For the console, it’s quicker to “touch filename.ext” or if you’re using Textmate, “mate filename.ext”.
mentioned by Mel Boyce on March 27, 2007 11:56 pm | Permalink
Thank You
divulged by Alex on April 26, 2007 1:29 am | Permalink
Thanks
determined by fedmich on April 6, 2008 6:57 pm | Permalink
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