Link Files Between Apps Using a Hook
I have developed many systems that I use to link files and projects on my Mac: wiki link services that link notes to tasks, Curio projects that link emails to projects, and extensive tag systems for keeping all kinds of files together. Each one is limited in one way or another (and linking emails is an eternal struggle). This is why I am so excited about Hook.
[Full disclosure, I was a beta tester for Hook during its development, and their blog recently discussed integration with two of my own apps, not relevant to my reporting for this article.]
In macOS, the Hook is a tool you can use to connect all parts of a project: documents, notes, emails, web pages, and even to-do in your favorite task manager. This is accomplished by using file system and database bookmarks to create links between these elements. The only Hook interface is a menu bar item and hotkey popup that you can use to connect files or access anything related to a file – whether you copy links, open files, or open files in the Finder.
To create a link between two files, open the Hook for one file and select “Copy as a link”, then open the Hook window when selecting the other selected file and select “Link to Copied Address”. You can also open Hook in the menu bar and drag multiple files into its window. They become cross-linked, and opening a Hook on any of those files will reveal all other linked files, so you can quickly open or expand them just like in Spotlight.
You can copy links to files as RTF or Markdown links, and those links are “safe” – moving the file does not break the link. You can even send someone an email link or shared Dropbox file. If they are using Hook, the link will open their own copy of the file. When I spoke to Hook developer Luc Baudouin, he used this to refer me to a previous thread. The link in his email traced and opened our previous correspondence in my own mail application (MailMate) without any search on my part.
Hook can also create new linked files using templates. For example, if you are reading a web article, you can open Hook and create a new smartcard in iThoughts (or a Markdown file in your favorite text editor) and start taking notes using the Hook to switch between browser and notes. … Add some more reference web pages to the collection, and when you start writing your own research-based article, add your working paper to the list. Then you will have a hotkey for all your links while you write.
While you can always link files from the Finder, Hook supports file linking in a wide variety of common applications. It is possible to add support for new applications with a small amount of Applescript, but the Hook developers are also constantly working to expand the list of supported applications.
Hook is currently in public beta and is free to use . Expect to see the paid version (hopefully along with the free one) as soon as the final version of the app is released.