a sublime text plugin example to open the file path that's in the clipboard

openclipboard.py

# this plugin creates a command `open_from_clipboard` that opens the path that's currently in the clipboard
# save this file at Packages/User/openclipboard.py
# then add the follow key binding if you like via the menu Preferences > Key Bindings - User
# 	{ "keys": ["ctrl+shift+o"], "command": "open_from_clipboard" }

import sublime
import sublime_plugin

class OpenFromClipboardCommand(sublime_plugin.WindowCommand):
	def run(self):
		fn = sublime.get_clipboard()
		if fn:
			sublime.active_window().open_file(fn)
		else:
			sublime.status_message("Nothing to open. The clipboard is empty.")

This is very useful, thank you!

How easy is it to extend this so that it first checks if there is text selected, and uses that as the path if there is? If no selection, it falls back to clipboard. If no clipboard, print that "Nothing to open." message.

I'm not good at Python and Sublime API, so this is probably far from idiomatic, but it works:

import sublime
import sublime_plugin

class OpenFromClipboardCommand(sublime_plugin.WindowCommand):
    def run(self):
        path = None

        for r in sublime.active_window().active_view().sel():
            s = sublime.active_window().active_view().substr(r)
            if s != "":
                path = s
                break

        if path == None:
            path = sublime.get_clipboard()

        if path != "":
            sublime.active_window().open_file(path)
        else:
            sublime.status_message("Nothing to open. The selection and clipboard are empty.")