The guys over at Cocoatech have released an update to their excellent Finder replacement Path Finder that adds a couple of absolute gem features in Leopard. First, Path Finder now supports the brilliant Quick Look feature. Better yet, Path Finder now integrates with the OS in that it can now intercept the "Show in Finder" calls from other applications and direct them to Path Finder. What this means it that those little magnifying glass icons in, for example, the Safari downloads window (right) will now take you to Path Finder instead of the regular Finder. This even works on Stacks where the "More in Finder" button again goes to Path Finder. While there were some Input Manager style hacks that had previously allowed similar functionality, this is the first time this has really worked seamlessly with the OS. Thanks, apparently, is due to Apple themselves for making this possible with Leopard.This really opens the door to replacing the Finder wholesale in Leopard with Path Finder.
Path Finder 4.8.2 is available for download in a demo. It's a free update for registered users of PF4, $17.95 for upgrades from earlier versions of PF, and $34.95 for a full version.
[via Infinite Loop]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-12-2007 @ 12:28PM
David S said...
Path Finder: always loved it; even more now. If you haven't spent some work time with it, it's time to give it a try.
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11-12-2007 @ 1:08PM
Josh said...
It's definitely an improvement, but the Quick Look isn't well implemented. In Finder, if you Quick Look at a file, then the arrow keys on the keyboard will work and allow you to navigate to the next or previous file. A great idea when you are going through photos. This feature does not work in PathFinder.
To be fair, PathFinder has the neat preview box that does the same thing.
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11-12-2007 @ 1:56PM
Rick Stratton said...
Does anybody know if PathFinder supports the concept of an address bar, like in a Windows File Explorer? Being an ex-Windows guy (and still having to use it at work), I really like being able to type in the path manually myself from within whatever filesystem navigation GUI I am using. If not PathFinder, does anybody know of a 3rd party Finder-replacement app that does?
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11-12-2007 @ 2:51PM
Johnny said...
I love it, but wish it could completely replace Finder. As in, delete Finder from /CoreServices and replace it with PathFinder, replace the trash can on the dock with the PathFinder one (that should currently have a pref to disable) and be able to have /Desktop show up on the Desktop without Finder running. Then it would be a seamless replacement.
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11-12-2007 @ 2:58PM
Big John said...
Or just, you know, use Finder.
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11-12-2007 @ 3:21PM
Bryce said...
The new reveal feature isn't seamless at all. Choosing "Show in Finder" from within iTunes will take you to Finder, as will selecting an application in the dock and then picking "Show in Finder," and Firefox will also take you to the Finder when you reveal its download folder. I would buy PF in a heartbeat if this feature actually worked.
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11-12-2007 @ 3:30PM
Johnny said...
Bryce: Have you turned this on in PathFinder Preferences? By default, it is off.
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11-12-2007 @ 3:35PM
Johnny said...
Actually, I take that back. It doesn't seem to be working now except in certain cases. I could have sworn it was working for me everywhere at first, after setting the preference. Must be a bug.
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11-12-2007 @ 5:37PM
russell said...
PathFinder is a nice browser. It would be just awesome now if someone were to do an equivalently good job for spatial file management.
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11-12-2007 @ 5:37PM
Wrath said...
@Rick Stratton
re: "I really like being able to type in the path manually myself from within whatever filesystem navigation GUI I am using."
Not exactly a response to your actual question, but a workaround for the meantime: within Finder, type SHIFT+COMMAND+G
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