Quicksilver’s ExtraScripts - Spotlight Port January 9

(As featured on Lifehacker).

When I got hold of OS X 10.5, I was really impressed with the improvements to Spotlight, (the system-wide desktop search feature). In fact, with the new “Applications” results hitting top position, my previous application launcher, Quicksilver, fell in to only occasional use. In a recent interview with Lifehacker, head developer Nicholas Jitkoff was quoted:

“I’m inclined to encourage users to move over to the more stable and well supported alternatives… that branch is condemned to a long slow death. I just don’t know if the experimental one will ever be up to snuff. Hence the recommendation of third party apps.”

So I thought it was time to look elsewhere.

Although a stupefyingly powerful application, I only used Quicksilver for a few things- application launching, controlling iTunes, system commands, and a few occasional unloading to Flickr commands.

Well the new Apple Keyboard has dedicated control keys for iTunes, so one less Quicksilver need, I was however left without a replacement for the System Manipulation commands, known as ‘Extra Scripts’. This plugin allowed me to restart, sleep, shut down, empty recycle bin, and more… all from simple keyboard commands.

Today, (drum-roll), I bring that power to Spotlight, with my ExtraScrips Applications!

Just download the disc image, and drag the Extra Scripts folder into your application folder. From there you can invoke Spotlight, and then type “sleep” to send your mac to sleep, or “restart”, “empty” to empty trash, “toggle” to toggle the audio output from main speakers to headphones…. Such is the nature of Spotlight, YMMV but hopefully you will find this useful.