Add custom commands to the Mac OS X Terminal
When I use my Mac and type away in the Terminal, I’ve felt the need to add custom commands; e.g. launch an application with that folder/file as a parameter.
The way to accomplish this is to create a hidden file in your user folder (i.e. Users/robertnyman) named .profile (you use the dot before the name to create a hidden file in Mac OS X). In that file, you just simply add your commands. Here’s an example where I’ve added three commands to launch Preview, Photoshop and Firefox respectively with the current folder/a file as the input parameter:
prev(){
open -a /Applications/Preview.app/ "$1"
}
ps(){
open -a /Applications/Adobe\ Photoshop\ CS/Adobe\ Photoshop\ CS.app/ "$1"
}
ff(){
open -a /Applications/Firefox.app/ "$1"
}
One of the power features with the code above is that when the prev command is called for a folder, it will open all images in that folder and its sub-folders in the same Preview window. So, happy customizing of commands! 
Bonus code: case-insensitive auto-completion
When you press the Tab key in Terminal, you auto-complete the current word you’re typing (according to available commands/files). However, this is case-sensitive, which is a bit of an annoyance since many default folders in Mac OS X are named with upper-case starting letters, such as Desktop, Pictures, Movies etc. But, come to the rescue, a simple command to run in the Terminal to make it case-insensitive:
echo "set completion-ignore-case On" >> ~/.inputrc
Tip: remember to close the Terminal window and restart it before you try it.
20 Comments/Reactions
May 10th, 2007 at 12:52
No need to restart the terminal. Just do a
source ~/.inputrcto apply changes made in the file.
May 10th, 2007 at 14:39
Great hint. Loved it!
You can do even better an put a function more or less like this
runapp() {
$app=`find /Applications/ -name “*.app” | grep $1`;
shift;
open -a “$app/” “$2″;
}
and you can invoke any application you know part of the name with a command like
$ runapp photoshop .
Just need some clash detection, case tha part of the name you typed appears more than once, like
$ runapp adobe .
(Sorry if my code is poor or doesn’t work rightaway, I’m at work where I only have windoze at hand and I can’t test it.)
May 10th, 2007 at 17:57
That sounds very interesting, Robert!
I should really take some time to get familiar with the Terminal/UNIX. It looks like it’s worth it
May 10th, 2007 at 20:35
Fredrik,
Ah, thanks!
Guilherme,
Well, yes, but that’s too much typing for my taste.
Harmen,
It’s definitely worth it!
May 10th, 2007 at 20:36
Just FYI, you can run
open -a Firefoxin a terminal; you don’t need to specify a full path or the .app extension.May 10th, 2007 at 20:40
Brian,
Yes, absolutely, that goes for most apps. But what you miss out on then is the ability to pass a file as a parameter (unless you write a longer statement).
May 12th, 2007 at 0:39
In linux this is done by setting up aliases and google says it hasn’t changed for OSX… Terminal Alias Shortcuts.
May 12th, 2007 at 1:03
Aldrik,
As I understand it, it’s about the same approach, and that you need to add that as well to a
.profileor.bash_profilefile.May 12th, 2007 at 3:00
Robert,
Indeed, it’s just a bit cleaner. Plus you can add arguments to existing commands.
November 29th, 2007 at 19:34
Thank you!
I am still learning to use the amazing and powerful TERMINAL
Alexandre
November 30th, 2007 at 8:37
Alexandre,
Me too, me too.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:13
Thanks for this. Much appreciated.
I’m a new Mac-user and am still getting the hang of it. I’ve been using both Linux and Windows and I am really liking the combination of both in Mac.
Say, wouldn’t you know of a way to merge directories under Mac?
December 22nd, 2008 at 20:43
kamasheto,
Thanks! Off the top of my head, I don’t know how to do that.
January 9th, 2009 at 1:18
sorry to sound like a n00b, but how do you add a command? Is it just a .txt file or is there something else that you have to do. Either way great article
January 9th, 2009 at 13:31
Colin,
A hidden file that doesn’t really have any type, i.e. just a name that starts with a dot (.). You can trea a hidden gile in the Terminal directly by writing
touch .myfile, and then open it up with the editor you prefer.October 24th, 2009 at 13:17
Nice tips mate, used both, especially the capital one, Im gonna try to add it to my linux box as well.. thnx!
October 24th, 2009 at 20:34
somone,
Glad it was of use to you!
November 26th, 2009 at 15:16
[...] Weitere Beispiele hier [...]
May 22nd, 2010 at 7:19
A .profile already exists on my computer. Hmmm….
May 24th, 2010 at 9:38
Jon,
Nothing to worry about, it could have been created by an application or some process.
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