Mac folder alias opens with terminal app

[myggirl]

Greetings. I discovered something strange this week. When I open a folder alias it triggers a terminal action. When I attempt to change the default program to 'Finder', the finder app is greyed out and i cannot do so.

Any idwas on how to change the default program?

Thanks

 

[TonyAguila]

Greetings. I discovered something strange this week. When I open a folder alias it triggers a terminal action. When I attempt to change the default program to 'Finder', the finder app is greyed out and i cannot do so.

Any idwas on how to change the default program?

Thanks

Sounds like a broken link. It happens. I would simply delete the alias and create a new one.

 

[myggirl]

Sounds like a broken link. It happens. I would simply delete the alias and create a new one.

Thanks Tony but that's not it. After re-creating it the alias works once then switches to terminal.

 

[TonyAguila]

Thanks Tony but that's not it. After re-creating it the alias works once then switches to terminal.

Are you creating the alias by the command-option-drag method? That, indeed, is an alias as we know it. They can be finicky as you have experienced. Try creating a symbolic link instead, which is more stable. I won’t tell you the method using Terminal, which I probably have myself forgotten anyway. Let’s just use the Finder.

Select the file or folder that you want to make an “alias” from. Control-click on it and from the contextual menu, select Services -> Make Symbolic Link. The symbolic link will then be created in the same place as the file or folder with the extension “.symlink.” You can then move it to any other location and it will act like your desired alias. The main caveat here is that once the original is moved to another location, the link will be broken. The path must be preserved.

In case “Make Symbolic Link” is not listed under your Services menu, you need to enable it. Go to System Preferences -> Keyboard, click on the Shortcuts tab. On the left sidebar, click on Services, and on the right-hand pane, under Files and Folders, check Make Symbolic Link. While you’re at it, see if you can find other Services that you might want to turn on as well.

Now try it on your file or folder. Enjoy!

 

[myggirl]

Are you creating the alias by the command-option-drag method? That, indeed, is an alias as we know it. They can be finicky as you have experienced. Try creating a symbolic link instead, which is more stable. I won’t tell you the method using Terminal, which I probably have myself forgotten anyway. Let’s just use the Finder.

Select the file or folder that you want to make an “alias” from. Control-click on it and from the contextual menu, select Services -> Make Symbolic Link. The symbolic link will then be created in the same place as the file or folder with the extension “.symlink.” You can then move it to any other location and it will act like your desired alias. The main caveat here is that once the original is moved to another location, the link will be broken. The path must be preserved.

In case “Make Symbolic Link” is not listed under your Services menu, you need to enable it. Go to System Preferences -> Keyboard, click on the Shortcuts tab. On the left sidebar, click on Services, and on the right-hand pane, under Files and Folders, check Make Symbolic Link. While you’re at it, see if you can find other Services that you might want to turn on as well.

Now try it on your file or folder. Enjoy!

Are you creating the alias by the command-option-drag method? That, indeed, is an alias as we know it. They can be finicky as you have experienced. Try creating a symbolic link instead, which is more stable. I won’t tell you the method using Terminal, which I probably have myself forgotten anyway. Let’s just use the Finder.

Select the file or folder that you want to make an “alias” from. Control-click on it and from the contextual menu, select Services -> Make Symbolic Link. The symbolic link will then be created in the same place as the file or folder with the extension “.symlink.” You can then move it to any other location and it will act like your desired alias. The main caveat here is that once the original is moved to another location, the link will be broken. The path must be preserved.

In case “Make Symbolic Link” is not listed under your Services menu, you need to enable it. Go to System Preferences -> Keyboard, click on the Shortcuts tab. On the left sidebar, click on Services, and on the right-hand pane, under Files and Folders, check Make Symbolic Link. While you’re at it, see if you can find other Services that you might want to turn on as well.

Now try it on your file or folder. Enjoy!

Thanks Tony. There's no reference to Symbolic link on either of my two macs in the keybpard settings although I do see a github symbolic link utility that I can download. Is that safe?

 

[TonyAguila]

Please double check first. There are numerous third-party utilities for this, but it’s better to go directly with the system. Are you sure you are following this sequence?

 -> System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts (tab) -> Services (left pane) -> Files and Folders (right pane) -> ✔ Make Symbolic Link.