I was just messing around with my friends powerbook and he was complaining he couldn't delete some files. Now i saw what he was talking about. He's not logged in as a root just a standard Admin but for whatever reason OS X invisible files are.....well visible. How do we go about fixing it?
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invisible Files
- Thread starter Macpoops
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Which files are visible? My little knowledge on UNIX says that any files starting with a dot is usually invisible.
I've experienced similar issues when I viewed OS 9 disk from X, or OS X disk from OS 9. But not like the one you've described.
Well, maybe there is an option to make invisible files visible? Somebody out here probably knows.
I've experienced similar issues when I viewed OS 9 disk from X, or OS X disk from OS 9. But not like the one you've described.
Well, maybe there is an option to make invisible files visible? Somebody out here probably knows.
sounds like he used tinkertool to make all of the invisible files visible. see if he has it installed, and if not, install it and see if it can fix the problem. but keep in mind that there's a good reason that he can't delete the files and it's the same reason they're invisible to begin with; they're system files and it will trash your os if you delete them. any invisible file outside of your home folder was put there by the system and should remain where it is.
I've looked at X from OS 9 and this is what this looks like. .DS_store is on of the files if i remember. I realized that these were system files but the fact they are visible is annoying. It gets in the way we both felt that way. Almost makes it look like working with windows with all the extra **** in there rather confusing.
invisable
files with a "." infront of them are invisable in UNIX. the are normaly invisable for a reason... and you probably need them. What files are you talking about? Apple maks more files/folders invisable than normal UNIX distros simpley because most Mac users dont need to know whats in the etc, bin, sbin, var, and other folders. If you want to poke arround, user the terminal.... but be carefull
files with a "." infront of them are invisable in UNIX. the are normaly invisable for a reason... and you probably need them. What files are you talking about? Apple maks more files/folders invisable than normal UNIX distros simpley because most Mac users dont need to know whats in the etc, bin, sbin, var, and other folders. If you want to poke arround, user the terminal.... but be carefull
Ok i know they are not supposed to be seen and he knows this. he now knows not to try to delete them and has in the past but was not allowed by OS X maybe i wasn't clear with the question so i'll rephrase it.
How to i take his computer and easily change it back to the way it is supposed to be, in which the so called invisible files are not visible like they should be?
All the names you mention are the ones that show up.
How to i take his computer and easily change it back to the way it is supposed to be, in which the so called invisible files are not visible like they should be?
All the names you mention are the ones that show up.
do they only show up when you're looking at os x from os 9? because i have the same thing too (and also when i'm in classic mode and i'm saving say a quark document, i can see the invisible files in the save dialog)
i thought it was normal? but you're right, it's crappy and windowish. i don't have tinkertool or anything like that installed - it's just been like this all along. is there a way to hide these files? i'm interested to hear the answer.
i thought it was normal? but you're right, it's crappy and windowish. i don't have tinkertool or anything like that installed - it's just been like this all along. is there a way to hide these files? i'm interested to hear the answer.
It is not from looking at OS X from OS 9. It is stricting viewing the disk from inside OS X's finder. Even on the desktop a .ds_store file existis. I know these files are hidden for a reason and that deleting them would be similar to deleting .dll files in windows. i just want to know why i am seeing them all of a sudden and what i can do to not see them anymore.
If you don't have TinkerTools on that machine yet, why don't you install it and try switching "show invisible files" option on and off. It might fix the issue.
It's a very stable piece of sofwtare that changes the UNIX settings like the X's preference panel does. It will do no harm.
It's a very stable piece of sofwtare that changes the UNIX settings like the X's preference panel does. It will do no harm.