Hiding Certain Folders In Finder

[duncyboy]

I've Googled this and checked in the general OS X Help but no joy.

Certain Apps I use create their own folders in Documents whether I like it or not. It wasn't a case of changing the default file path for apps either- Vue creates an e-on software folder in Documents each time no matter what. In Windows I just used to leave them to it and set Hide in the folder preferences. Out of sight, out of mind.

I've tried Get Info on the folders in question to no avail.

Is it possible to do this to tidy my Documents folder?

As always, many thanks

 

[ebel3003]

Unfortunately, the only way I can think of to hide a folder in Mac OS X is to add a period (.) prefix to the name of the folder. That changes the folder path completely and will not work with applications that don't allow you to change the path.

Edit: I take that back, I totally forgot that you can use file attributes.. see my post below.

 

[duncyboy]

Oh, well- you don't ask you don't get

Thanks for the reply anyways. I'll just have to try and curb my OCD tendencies

 

[swiftaw]

I use a program called XRay, to hide folders from finder.

 

[DoFoT9]

duncyboy

if i were you i would download "tinkertool" which allows you to see hidden files, put a "." (period) infront of the folder/document. tinkertool will allow you to hide the files, and then make them visible if you want to modify them or anything. there are other programs such as apimacs "secret folder" which will manage it all for you.

 

[ebel3003]

You know what? I totally forgot about doing it with file attributes!

Open terminal and execute the following commands to hide a folder. Just change the path to your needs.

cd Documents
setfile -a "V" "FolderName"

If you ever want to make the folder visible then, execute the same command and replace the capital "V" with a lowercase "v"

 

[duncyboy]

I use a program called XRay, to hide folders from finder.

Will look into that, cheers

duncyboy

if i were you i would download "tinkertool" which allows you to see hidden files, put a "." (period) infront of the folder/document. tinkertool will allow you to hide the files, and then make them visible if you want to modify them or anything. there are other programs such as apimacs "secret folder" which will manage it all for you.

Can't get that to work. If I rename the folders in question in any way, the App just puts a new one in there? Or am I missing the point, my friend?

If I rename, for example, "e-on software" in any way it just puts a new one in there. It must have a part of the program that says "Check Documents for Folder named "YADDAYADDA" and if not, create Folder called "YADDAYADDA"

(Spot the guy who learned Pascal in college...)

 

[duncyboy]

You know what? I totally forgot about doing it with file attributes!

Open terminal and execute the following commands to hide a folder. Just change the path to your needs.

cd Documents
setfile -a "V" "FolderName"

If you ever want to make the folder visible then, execute the same command and replace the capital "V" with a lowercase "v"

Where FolderName is the filepath? (Sorry, completely unfamiliar with Terminal and it's magical ways)

 

[ebel3003]

Where FolderName is the filepath? (Sorry, completely unfamiliar with Terminal and it's magical ways)

Well just say that the name of the folder is "e-on software" (Check the capitalization, files and folders are case sensitive).

You would first execute this terminal command to get into your Documents folder:

cd Documents

Then you would execute this command to hide the "e-on software" folder from Finder:

setfile -a "V" "e-on software"

Once again, make sure you check the folder name's capitalization. If it's at all different, you'll just get "File not found" errors.

Alternatively you could just execute:

setfile -a "V" ~/Documents/e-on\ software

but with that you have to make sure to replace any spaces " " with a backslash and a space "\ ".

 

[DoFoT9]

Will look into that, cheers




Can't get that to work. If I rename the folders in question in any way, the App just puts a new one in there? Or am I missing the point, my friend?

If I rename, for example, "e-on software" in any way it just puts a new one in there. It must have a part of the program that says "Check Documents for Folder named "YADDAYADDA" and if not, create Folder called "YADDAYADDA"

(Spot the guy who learned Pascal in college...)

lol uuhhh i have no idea. havent done pascal so i have nfi what your on lol..

use the other program the other guy said hahaha

 

[ravenvii]

Well just say that the name of the folder is "e-on software" (Check the capitalization, files and folders are case sensitive).

You would first execute this terminal command to get into your Documents folder:

cd Documents

Then you would execute this command to hide the "e-on software" folder from Finder:

setfile -a "V" "e-on software"

Once again, make sure you check the folder name's capitalization. If it's at all different, you'll just get "File not found" errors.

Alternatively you could just execute:

setfile -a "V" ~/Documents/e-on\ software

but with that you have to make sure to replace any spaces " " with a backslash and a space "\ ".

I just tried that and it says the command "setfile" cannot be found.

 

[ebel3003]

I just tried that and it says the command "setfile" cannot be found.

Really? Perhaps it's only included with the developer tools.

Edit: I just located the file and it is indeed under the Developer directory. My apologies for the confusion. In that case, you guys are better off using Xray unless you want to install the dev tools.

 

[duncyboy]

Really? Perhaps it's only included with the developer tools.

Edit: I just located the file and it is indeed under the Developer directory. My apologies for the confusion. In that case, you guys are better off using Xray unless you want to install the dev tools.

Thanks for your help anyways, it's gratefully received- thanks, mate. I appreciate the patience in trying to show me some Terminal tricks. I only switched a month ago and having someone take the time to talk through something is good

DoFoT9: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal_(programming_language)

It was a fairly well structured language. Good for learning the essentials.

And, purely for the basis of geek indulgence, here's what we worked on at Fleetwood High School in the early nineties: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Archimedes

 

[aseewald]

You know what? I totally forgot about doing it with file attributes!

Open terminal and execute the following commands to hide a folder. Just change the path to your needs.

cd Documents
setfile -a "V" "FolderName"

If you ever want to make the folder visible then, execute the same command and replace the capital "V" with a lowercase "v"

This one worked great for me! Thanks!