Referencing files & folders

Precize helps you use three schemes for locating files independently of where they are on any given volume: the inode number forming a volfs path, Bookmark information, and File Reference URLs .

The volfs path can be used as an enduring reference to the item from the command line; for example, you can enter

ls -la /.vol/16777224/360517297

and obtain a listing of the item referenced by that path, regardless of which folder you care to move that item to, on any given volume.

Bookmarks are a replacement system for inode numbers and volfs. Until now, they have only been accessible to compiled apps, but as support for inodes declines, they are to be preferred. Precize provides Bookmarks in Base-64 encoding, which can be used with any other tool which supports them. You can also copy a Bookmark into a Bookmark Resolver window and there use it to obtain the full path to that item, to locate it in the Finder, and to preview it using QuickLook.

This works the same way as the Open Recent menu command does in apps, and can use the Launch Services files which make that command work as a source of Bookmarks. The Bookmark Resolver lets you paste in Bookmarks copied from .sfl and .sfl2 files in ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.sharedfilelist, and locate and preview the items. It is the only such utility to do so.

The third system is what Apple refers to as File Reference URLs . These use the inode number set with a different volume reference in URL format, such as

file:///.file/id=6571367.360517297

but cannot be used directly in Terminal, as far as I know.

➜ paths and sizes in detail

➜ copy a path or value quickly

➜ welcome

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