Commands

file open

Open a file or folder in a native application.

poly file open opens a file or folder in a native application, materializing it locally first if needed.

Usage

poly file open [TARGET]

TARGET defaults to .. It accepts a local path inside the sync folder, a //-prefixed Poly path, a deep link, or a web URL — see How it Works for the full reference syntax.

Flags

FlagDescription
--at <REVISION|TIME>Open the file as of a revision ID (from file history) or a fuzzy time, e.g. "yesterday".
--webOpen the web URL instead of materializing the file locally.
--appOpen via the desktop app deep link.
--pathPrint the materialized local path instead of launching anything. Composable: vim "$(poly file open <ref> --path)".
-w, --with-app <APP>Open with a specific executable or macOS .app bundle.
--overwriteRe-download a fresh temporary copy before opening.
--waitBlock until the opened application exits.

--web conflicts with --app, --path, --with-app, --overwrite, and --wait. --app conflicts with --path, --with-app, --overwrite, and --wait. --path conflicts with --with-app and --wait.

Examples

# Open a file in its default native app
poly file open //Home/docs/report.pdf

# Open in a specific application
poly file open //Home/photos/sunset.jpg --with-app Preview

# Open the web version in a browser
poly file open //Home/docs/report.pdf --web

# Print the local path and pipe it into an editor
vim "$(poly file open //Home/notes.md --path)"

# Open with a fresh copy, waiting for the app to close
poly file open //Home/docs/report.pdf --overwrite --wait

# Open as it looked yesterday
poly file open //Home/docs/report.pdf --at yesterday
  • file download — download to a directory instead of opening it.
  • file show — get the local path or URL without opening anything.
  • How it Works — file reference syntax and the local cache.
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