Open a New Finder Window

CostConnect · June 14, 2018, 4:07pm

I need a shortcut that will open a new Finder window on Mac, no matter what application I may have open at the time. Here's what I'm seeing...

MacOS has a shortcut to open a new Finder window - Command-N
This works fine when no other windows are active.
Many applications have an application shortcut associated to Command-N, usually to open a new file, and sometimes as a navigation shortcut.
So the native MacOS Command-N has very limited functionality for opening a new Finder window.
I tried attempting to change the MacOS shortcut for this to a shortcut that isn't used anywhere, like Control-Option-Left Arrow. This would allow it to work no matter what window I may have open. However, I don't see anywhere an option to change this MacOS-level shortcut.
I know there's also a shortcut for opening an item in a new Finder window, but that's not what I need. I need to, from anywhere, be able to open a new Finder window.

Can anyone help on this??

Thanks! Ben

waxfingers · June 14, 2018, 6:44pm

This is what I'm currently using:

A 3 finger tap triggers an applescript that activates finder and passes a "command + n"
then the window is quickly moved where mouse pointer is and positioned a bit off center. As I pre-defined in Finder, new window opens showing the desktop.

To try it out, copy paste the code below (will show under magic mouse) and just change in the move/resize attached window action your_user_name ( NOTE 1) and accommodate the screen and X & Y values to your taste =)

{
  "BTTGestureNotes" : "NEW Finder Window (left)",
  "BTTTriggerType" : 9,
  "BTTTriggerTypeDescription" : "3 Finger Tap",
  "BTTTriggerClass" : "BTTTriggerTypeMagicMouse",
  "BTTPredefinedActionType" : 172,
  "BTTPredefinedActionName" : "Run Apple Script (blocking)",
  "BTTInlineAppleScript" : "tell application \"Finder\" to activate\rtell application \"System Events\" to keystroke \"n\" using {command down}\rdelay 0.5",
  "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
  "BTTUUID" : "E4100672-3537-49CC-ABA4-7148E4D4BBA6",
  "BTTEnabled" : 1,
  "BTTOrder" : 10,
  "BTTAdditionalActions" : [
    {
      "BTTTriggerType" : -1,
      "BTTTriggerClass" : "BTTTriggerTypeMagicMouse",
      "BTTPredefinedActionType" : 251,
      "BTTPredefinedActionName" : "Custom Move\/Resize Window",
      "BTTActionMoveResizeConfig" : "{\"BTTChangeWidthRelative\":0,\"BTTNewWindowWidthAbsolute\":800,\"BTTOriginToUse\":3,\"BTTChangeWindowWidth\":true,\"BTTActiveOrHoveredWindow\":2,\"BTTChangeYOrigin\":1,\"BTTNewXRelative\":0,\"BTTNewYAbsolute\":-300,\"BTTOriginDisplay\":0,\"BTTChangeXOriginRelative\":0,\"BTTNewXAbsolute\":-333,\"BTTChangeYOriginRelative\":0,\"BTTUseVisibleFrame\":true,\"BTTChangeXOrigin\":1,\"BTTScreenOrigin\":6,\"BTTTitleToMatch\":\"\\\/Users\\\/your_user_name\\\/Desktop\",\"BTTNewYRelative\":0,\"BTTDirectionToMove\":0,\"BTTScreensToMove\":0}",
      "BTTActionMoveResizeName" : "NewFinderWindow",
      "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
      "BTTUUID" : "F991B275-A3F1-4402-86F5-64261856D088",
      "BTTEnabled" : 1,
      "BTTOrder" : 0
    }
  ]
}

NOTE 1
In FInder's preferences you can set the folder that each new finder's window will open. Alternatively in the applescript chunk, instead of tell application "Finder" to activate you could specify which folder (e.g) do shell script "open ~/Downloads". Whatever one decides has to be mirrored in the Move / Resize Window with title (shown above); otherwise new opened windows won't "follow" the