Files

Files by name through the OS's own index, the recently used ones before you type.

palv0.1.0Productivitybundled

Install in pal

Ships inside pal. Installing puts an editable copy ahead of the bundled one.

Files: Part of a file name typed: the matches under the configured folders, size and date on the right
Part of a file name typed: the matches under the configured folders, size and date on the right
Files: The detail pane on a text file: path, size, modified, kind, and its first lines
The detail pane on a text file: path, size, modified, kind, and its first lines
Files: Open with…: the apps registered for the file, the default tagged
Open with…: the apps registered for the file, the default tagged
Files: Recent Files: what was used in the last seven days, newest first
Recent Files: what was used in the last seven days, newest first
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What it does

Files

Two palettes over the operating system's own file index, never a walk pal indexes itself.

Files is an input palette: what you type is a name search on every keystroke. The row is the file name; the parent folder is the subtitle (home shortened to ~); the size and the modification date are accessories. .app bundles get their own icon, everything else a glyph by kind (folder, image, document, code, archive). Exact and prefix name matches come first, the rest in the backend's order, at most limit rows. Before you type, the palette lists the recently used files (a Recently used section) instead of hints.

Recent Files lists those same rows as a palette of its own: the files used in the last seven days within the configured folders, newest first (on macOS Spotlight's kMDItemLastUsedDate, on Linux GTK's ~/.local/share/recently-used.xbel), listed again on a show once the listing is a minute old, with the same actions and detail pane. Folders, hidden and excluded paths and files that are gone are left out.

Backends

Picked once when the extension loads and logged ([files] backend: fd):

platform backend how
macOS Spotlight mdfind -name <query> -onlyin <folder>...; case-insensitive substring of the display name, so kitty finds kitty.app
Linux fd fd --absolute-path --fixed-strings --max-results <limit> --max-depth 8 --exclude <x>... <query> <folders>; respects .gitignore like fd does everywhere
Linux, no fd locate locate -i <query>, filtered to the folders (updatedb decides how fresh it is)
Linux, neither find find <folders> -iname '*<query>*'; walks the folders on every keystroke, and a second hint row says so

Every search is one process: killed after 3 s, killed as soon as limit paths have been read, and killed when the next keystroke starts a new one. The exclude folders are pruned from the walk (fd, find) or dropped from the answer (Spotlight, locate).

Keyboard

keys action
enter Open with the system opener
cmd+enter Reveal in Finder (open -R), Show in file manager on Linux (xdg-open on the parent folder)
cmd+y Quick Look (qlmanage -p), macOS only
cmd+o Open with…: a level listing the apps registered for the file, the default first with a Default tag; typing narrows them, Enter opens the file with that app
cmd+c Copy path
cmd+shift+c Copy file: the file itself onto the clipboard; a paste in Finder or a file manager copies it, a paste in a text field gets its path
cmd+d Move to Trash: asks first; Finder's delete on macOS, gio trash on Linux; the palette stays open with a toast
cmd+i The detail pane: path, size, modified time and kind; for a text file under 64 KB the first 40 lines in a code block

Open with… lists Launch Services' apps on macOS (NSWorkspace, every role); on Linux the file's MIME type is looked up in the mimeapps.list files and every data dir's mimeinfo.cache, the default from xdg-mime query default.

Setup

macOS needs nothing: Spotlight is always there. On Linux install fd (else locate; with neither, find works but is slow). Move to Trash on macOS goes through Finder, so the first one shows the Automation prompt.

Settings, [extensions.files]:

key type default what
folders list of paths ["~"] Where to search. ~ is expanded.
limit number, 1 to 500 50 At most this many rows per query.
show_hidden bool false List files and folders whose name starts with a dot (below the configured folder; ~/.config as a folder is fine either way).
exclude list of names ["node_modules", ".cache", "Library/Caches", "target"] Folders skipped below the search folders, by name or a short path.

What it does not do

  • Search file contents: it is a name search. Spotlight's content index is not asked.
  • Preview images: the app's icon:// scheme serves app icons, favicons and clipboard images only, so the pane shows text files and metadata.
  • Rename, move or copy files: Reveal and open the file manager.
  • Index anything itself: no fd, locate or Spotlight means no results (one hint row says which tool is missing), and fd stops eight levels down.

Platforms

macOS (Spotlight, Quick Look, Finder) and Linux (fd, locate or find; GTK's recently-used list; gio trash and xdg-open).

Palettes 2

  • Filesfilesinput

    Type part of a file name; rows are the matches under the configured folders. Before you type: the recently used files.

    • ↵Open the file
    • ⌘↵Reveal in Finder
    • ⌘OOpen with another app
    • ⌘IThe path, size and first lines
  • Recentrecentlive

    Files used in the last seven days under the configured folders, newest first.

    • ↵Open the file
    • ⌘↵Reveal in Finder

Actions

  • OpenThe system opener.↵
  • Reveal in FinderShow in file manager on Linux.⌘↵
  • Quick LookmacOS only.⌘Y
  • Open with…A level of the apps registered for the file.⌘O
  • Copy path⌘C
  • Copy fileThe file itself onto the clipboard: a paste in Finder copies it.⌘⇧C
  • Move to TrashAsks first.⌘D

Settings

Extension, [extensions.files]

folders
~ list

Where to search. `~` is expanded.

limit
50rows number

At most this many rows per query.

show_hidden
Off boolean
exclude
node_modules.cacheLibrary/Cachestarget list

Folders skipped below the search folders, by name (`node_modules`) or a short path (`Library/Caches`).

Defaults shown. Change them in pal's settings window or in the config file.