Copying pathnames of MULTIPLE files - answered

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Copying pathnames of MULTIPLE files - answered

I checked the discussions for ages to find out how to copy pathnames of multiple files and found nothing helpful.

This is what I figured out:

When you select multiple files and right-click, press and hold "option" to see the changed options presented. Then, it shows you "copy nn items as pathnames". When I tried pasting this on Excel or Word, I only got the first pathname pasted, no matter how hard I tried. I also checked Numbers. This may have something to do with Finder not being able to separate the file paths with these programmes, but I am not sure why.

The solution is TextEdit! Paste it there, and you get each pathname starting on a separate line. Then, you can use Command + A and Command + C to copy all the pathnames and paste it wherever you may need. It works.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Aug 10, 2023 01:25 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

CICT

Level 1

4 points

Oct 20, 2023 03:16 AM in response to ridhima181

This has caused some significant development problems for us, as we use Copy as Path in Mac and Windows to automate the upload multiple files to our database systems.

Pasting multiple copied file paths into Text Edit, BBEdit, Apple Mail, Calendar, Stickies, PixelMator Pro, Graphics, etc. works fine. It fails in all Microsoft Office apps (except for Outlook To, cc and Bcc an Subject, but fails in the actual message), Pages, Numbers, Freeform, FileMaker and anything running in Parallels or Remote Desktop.

Works fine in Microsoft Windows!

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Answer 2

Cortor

Level 1

8 points

Nov 25, 2023 12:54 AM in response to ridhima181

Struggled with this for a long time.

It turns out, all I needed to do was to copy all of the file names together as usual (option right click), but when pasting the names into excel, you have to go to right click, "paste special" and then go to "paste special..." at the bottom of the menu and then choose the "text" option.

It then pastes all the file names below eachother.

Let me know if that works for you.

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Answer 3

Cortor

Level 1

8 points

Nov 25, 2023 12:54 AM in response to CICT

Struggled with this for a long time.

It turns out, all I needed to do was to copy all of the file names together as usual (option right click), but when pasting the names into excel, you have to go to right click, "paste special" and then go to "paste special..." at the bottom of the menu and then choose the "text" option.

It then pastes all the file names below eachother.

Let me know if that works for you

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Answer 4

CICT

Level 1

4 points

Nov 25, 2023 02:54 AM in response to Cortor

Thanks Cortor

I’ve found that just pasting into any text editor and copying again solves the problem. However, we’ve many Windows and Mac users from many companies using Microsoft workspaces to run our FileMaker systems and copy as path is a work around for not having drag and drop within Microsoft Remote Desktop or workspaces. People doing their day-to-day work don’t want to have to remember they need to do something in addition to copy and paste just because it doesn’t work the way it should. They also talk to their Windows colleagues who are able to simply copy and paste the paths directly.

I don’t know what Apple are using within the copy as pathnames clipboard, but it certainly causes problems for us rare people who use it.

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Copying pathnames of MULTIPLE files - answered

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