Open local files in Google Docs by double-clicking
I’ve started using Google Docs a lot recently, but one thing annoyed me: I wanted to have documents open in Google Docs just by double-clicking them in Finder.
The APIs are pretty good, so I’m surprised nobody has written a native app to do this. While I don’t have time to write a native app, I was able to whip up something thanks to googlecl and Apple’s Automator.
Opening local files in Google Docs by double-clicking (in 3 easy steps)
The following solution will allow you to open documents in Google Docs by double-clicking them. The document will be uploaded and opened. If the document has already been uploaded (matched by filename), it will just be opened.
- Install googlecl, the command-line interface for Google APIs. This is easy with on Mac OS X with Macports:
sudo port install googlecl
Don’t forget to authorise your Google Account with the tool. You can do this once from Terminal by just doing:google docs list
(Then follow the instructions) - Download the shell script.
- Create an application, and associate files to using Apple’s Automator.
Set up the actions as per the screenshot here, and paste in the contents of the shell script:
Go to File->Save As… and save it somewhere as an app.
You can now open documents with this application. Simple right-click on a document, and go to Open with -> Other. Browse to find your newly-created application.
If you want to open all documents like this, click the “Change All” button.
And that’s it!
It works! Yay! Bear in mind I slapped this together in the last hour. I might make it slightly more elegant if I get the time (or you can).
Follow me on Twitter!
