For this feature, the application needs to be bound to a shortcut which is either a single F-key or a key plus Command, Shift, Control, or Option such as "Option + Y". "Enable application quick peek" will show you the application only as long as you press and hold its shortcut key. (Yes, you could use ⌘ + H but this helps reinforce the shortcut). "Hide application if it is active" means that if you press the hotkey sequence for an application when it is already shown, it will be hidden. Both are disabled by default, but you should enable both of them, because they are wonderful features. What you see here are Apptivate's very minimal preferences. I haven't used many Automator actions because I always found them to be a hassle to launch. I created an Automator action to move selected files in Finder to the Applications folder, so now I can press Option + F ("Finder") plus "A" for Applications. I created some VNC location files (vncloc), and now I can use Option + V (mnemonic for "VNC") plus "I" to screen share to my iMac. For example, Option + S followed by W brings up the Wunderground weather page for my city, Option + S followed by another S brings up the chool closing page so that I can check for snow delays or cancellations. Since I use Safari, I decided to make my Safari shortcuts start with "Option/Alt + S" followed by a single letter to represent the page. Then I created some custom "sequences" to open them. I dragged some URLs from Safari to the Finder and created some "webloc" (web location), which are essentially bookmarks that open certain pages. Likewise, when I press Option/Alt + B I get BBEdit.
When I press F1, for example, nvALT launches so that I can jot down quick notes to myself. You can, of course, bind individual keys to open particular apps. You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Apptivate uses sequences, such as Option/Alt + L (pressed together) followed by F to "launch" the "Finder" (I like to use Option/Alt instead of ⌘ for shortcuts as it works well on USA keyboards when writing in English. For example, you want ⌘ + F to show the Finder, but every other app wants to use that shortcut to the "Find" panel. Not "keystroke" - keystrokes, or as Apptivate calls them "hotkey sequences." The biggest drawback to assigning keystrokes to these kinds of shortcuts are the inevitable conflicts which will arise when dealing with system-wide keyboard shortcuts. I come not to replace your favorite launcher, but to supplement it, with an incredibly handy $3 app called Apptivate.Īpptivate lets you bind keyboard shortcuts to keystrokes. Heck, even FastScripts and OS X's own Spotlight can serve as launchers. The venerable but now mostly-dead QuickSilver (cue moment of silence followed by someone yelling out "I'm not dead yet") is being kept alive by a band of merry coders who hope to revive it. I've used LaunchBar ($35) since it was released for NeXTStep other folks seem fond of Alfred (free, with additional powerpack for £12, or about US$20), Butler ($20), Keyboard Maestro ($36) or Google Quick Search Box (free). There are a plethora of "launcher" apps out there.