OSX: how to add a right click option to a folder which opens the folder with an app like VS Code?

Solution 1:

You can do this with an Automator Service.

Create the Service:

1. Open Automator and select Service or File > New > Service If Automator is already open.

2. Set Service receives selected to files or folders and in to Finder.

3. Add a Run Shell Script Action, setting Shell: to /bin/bash and Pass input: to as arguments and add the following code:

for f in "$@"; do
    open -a 'Visual Studio Code' "$f"
done

4. Save the Service as Open in Visual Studio Code.

5. Close Automator.

You can now select Files and or Folders in Finder and then control-click (right-click) on them and select Open in Visual Studio Code from the Services Context Menu.

Note: I tested this with Visual Studio Code but not with Brackets as I don't have it installed. However you should be able to create one for it too in the same manner while substituting the application's name in the open command.

Solution 2:

Here is an alternative solution: instead of using the right-click menu, you could open the folder from the finder toolbar!

Please see my repo here: open-folder-with-vs-code

Solution 3:

In macOS Mojave (10.14.2), I could not find Service option in Automator. So I had to follow the below steps to open folder contents in Preview app:

1. Open Automator
2. File > New
3. Select Quick Action
4. Click Choose
5. Select "Workflow receives current files or folders in Finder"
6. From the left hand side pane in Automator, drag-drop Library > Utilities > Run Shell Script into the right hand pane
7. Ensure Pass input is set to "as arguments"
8. Then paste the below text:

for f in "$@"; do
   open -a 'Preview' "$f"
done

9. Click File > Save
10. Give name as "Open in Preview"
11. Go to Finder, select a folder containing PDF files, right click on folder name in finder > choose Quick Actions > Open In Preview
12. All the PDF files should now open in Preview.

TODO: Add checks to ensure that Preview only opens some file types (e.g. PDF etc) and not binaries etc.