• Pip
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Topic: Use grid overlay actions on selected Finder items

Is it possible with Dropzone version 4 to select a file or files in the Finder, press the key to reveal the Dropzone window (I believe the default is F3), and then to press the key overlaying an action to have that action invoked for the file or files you have selected in the Finder?

If this isn't already possible, it should be.  If it's not possible now because of the reasoning that it would be too easy to invoke an overlaying action on files that you forgot are already selected in the Finder, then this proposed process could require an extra key (command, option, etc) to function.

  • John
  • John
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Re: Use grid overlay actions on selected Finder items

Yep you can do that. Dropzone automatically registers itself as a macOS service which allows you to send files into Dropzone from other apps. To use this feature you can press Ctrl+Option+Cmd+D with the file or files you want to send to Dropzone selected in the Finder. The keyboard shortcut used is configurable in the macOS system preferences under System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Select Services in the left hand pane.

I've also uploaded a video showing how to use this feature here (made to show how to use this for Dropzone 3 but the feature works the same in Dropzone 4):

https://youtu.be/gReRHjppIE4?t=393

(Linked at the relevant timestamp so you don't have to watch the whole thing)

Hope that helps!

3 Reply by Pip (edited by Pip 2020-09-21 10:24:49)

  • Pip
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Re: Use grid overlay actions on selected Finder items

That's great.

Though oddly, if I try to assign the keyboard shortcut command-control-d to the action (instead of Ctrl+Option+Cmd+D), it won't work because there's some service somewhere that hooks that to a Quick Look on the selected file, though I'm damned if I can find it!

Also, amusingly, if I try to assign the keystroke control-option-shift-command-d, it'll work, but the Dropzone panel emerges extremely slowly, like something's slowing down the animation.  It's bizarre.

But glad there is this ability.

4 Reply by Pip (edited by Pip 2020-09-21 11:52:34)

  • Pip
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Re: Use grid overlay actions on selected Finder items

Concerning the use of the keyboard shortcut control-option-shift-command-d set in the system preferences to invoke the "Run Dropzone Action" service: it may be of interest that the strange slowed-down emergence of the Dropzone panel only happens if the service is invoked when the keyboard shortcut is used.  If you just use the menu selection Finder > Services > Run Dropzone Action, the Dropzone panel pops out at normal speed.

It's the use of the shift key in the key combination: this taps into a little-known variant of Quick Look.  Normally, Quick Look on a file is invoked by selecting an item in the Finder and pressing the space bar; but if you select a Finder item and press shift-space, the Quick Look is invoked, but at a slow speed.  It's the kind of thing that you would have thought would be configurable somewhere in Accessibility, but I can't see that it is.

So I'll have to choose a shortcut that doesn't use the shift key, unless I get to like the slow animation!

  • John
  • John
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Re: Use grid overlay actions on selected Finder items

Glad you got it working, and thanks for the information on the slowness of opening the grid when adding shift into the service key shortcut. The reason for the slowness opening the grid when you hold shift is that there is some logic in Dropzone which slows the speed of the animation (you can see this also if you hold shift and click on the Dropzone menu item). This is standard behaviour in macOS and happens when you open/close Dock stacks as well. However in this case when triggering Dropzone via the macOS service this shouldn't happen. I am going to add some logic in one of the next few versions that disables the slow animation when multiple modifier keys are held now that you've reported this as it is unwanted behaviour.