OS X: Go to the folder: can't be found

[Ryan Schmidt]

This has been driving me nuts for ages. This is on Mountain Lion.

When I file a ticket in the MacPorts issue tracker, I usually want to attach a main.log file. I don't want to deal with the Finder, or with the mouse more than I have to, so in the Terminal I type:

port logfile | pbcopy

This copies the path to the logfile of the port in the current directory to the OS X pasteboard.

I can verify that it is the correct path by typing "ls ", then pressing Command-V to paste:

$ ls /opt/local/var/macports/logs/_Users_rschmidt_macports_dports_www_cgilib/cgilib/main.log
/opt/local/var/macports/logs/_Users_rschmidt_macports_dports_www_cgilib/cgilib/main.log

As you see, it printed the location of the file; it did not say "No such file or directory".

To attach the file to a ticket, I click the Attach File button, then the Choose File button, then the OS X file selection sheet appears. I press Command-G to go to a location, then I press Command-V to paste the path to the logfile, then I press Delete to delete the newline. I press Return to go to there, and it says "The folder can't be found." You might think this is because the logfile is a file and not a folder, but even if I delete "main.log" from the end of the path, it still cannot find the folder. If I delete "cgilib/" from the end of the path, it still cannot find the folder. I have to back all the way out to /opt/local/var/macports/logs/ before it agrees to find the folder.

And then the final slap in the face: After I've done all that, I can then press Command-G again, then Command-V, then Return, and it finds the logfile with no problem. I'm baffled. What am I doing wrong?

No, I haven't replaced any of the directories in that path with symlinks.