Launch an OS X app with a keyboard shortcut

Question

I would like cmd+F3 to open an application. How do I do that? I tried adding a service, but services can't be bound to this combination for some reason.

Answer 1

Assign not a Service keyboard shortcut, but a custom Application shortcut that works in All applications, and enter your service name as the name of the menu entry.

Answer 2

Check out BetterTouchTools... its FREE!

The "Keyboard" tab in this application allows you to set any keyboard keys to "Open Application / File / Script" as well as many other useful things.

BetterTouchTools main purpose is to customize multi-touch devices... which is awesome! However, it works great for keyboard shortcuts as well. You may want to consider using multi-touch along with keyboard shortcuts. I find it to be very useful.

The picture below shows just a few of the things your keyboard shortcuts can do.

Answer 3

Third party apps that support triggers for launching applications:

• Alfred (with Powerpack)
• Quicksilver (free)
• Keyboard Maestro
• Quickeys
• iKey
• Spark (free)
• Butler
• BetterTouchTool (free)
• NuKit
• Shortcuts
• Apptivate
• Launch it!
• Twitch

I use FastScripts and:

#!/bin/bash

IFS=";"
l="App Store;Finder;iTunes;Preview;Safari;Terminal;TextEdit"

for x in $l; do
    script="try
    tell app \"$x\"
    reopen
    activate
    end
    end"
    osacompile -e "$script" -o ~/"Library/Scripts/open app $x.scpt"
    echo "$x"
done