How to hide a file/folder within OSX

[Cathode]

Hello!

I'm looking to hide a few things on my system that are cluttering up certains areas. I'm a little OCD about how my files are organized and I've noticed some applications *cough* Microsoft Office 2008 *cough* create manditory folders and I can't delete them.. so I've picked the next best thing:

Making them invisible!

Because the application(s) requires a specific file path I can't simply add the "." prefix to the folder. I believe there is a terminal command to add the folder to a list of invisible items but I can't pull up how to do this. I've been searching google for about an hour now. Here is what I've tried and I think I'm close.

Remember: My goal is to hide the "Microsoft User Data" folder.

Terminal:
cd /Users/Kyle/Documents/Microsoft\ User\ Data/
pico .hidden
(this takes me into something called nano and from here I'm lost)

Am I on the right track? Is there an easier way?

Thanks guys!


Kyle

 

[johndoe101]

this worked for me...

Place "Microsoft User Data" folder in ~/Library/Preferences/


Cheers

 

[Cathode]

Thank you for your fast reply johndoe101.

Unfortunately I tried that and it did not work. Once Word, Excel, etc. is relaunched it simply re-creates a new folder to replace the missing (or in this case moved) one. It is dead set on having that folder in that location.

Plus, Microsoft isn't the only culprit. I have a few other things I'd like simply hidden because they act in the same way.

UPDATE: Sorry johndoe101. I re-read your post and I had forgot to insert the "~" before Library. That did in fact work. However, if possible, I would still prefer to have a method of hiding files for the remaining things I have.

 

[TH-Gunner]

pico seems to run nano, which is simply a text editor. In nano, ctrl + o = save, ctrl + x = exit nano (the commands should be at the bottom).

If the microsoft programs are creating folders, turning the folders into hidden folders by adding a . in front of their names won't work, because .file is not the same thing as file. It will simply make another folder without the dot.

I don't know what you can do to get it to work the way you want it to.

 

[richard.mac]

for a much easier way just type this into Terminal

chflags hidden ~/Documents/Microsoft\ User\ Data

and voila!

then replace "hidden" with "nohidden" to unhide.

 

[sOwL]

yeh, in fact the only way to hide a file/folder is to add a "." in front of its name, which can be done either with terminal commands or with programs such "Hide Folders". Exept those microsoft folders you said, that renaming them just wont work because they are just gonna recreated, if you plan on hiding essential files from another user or something, your best shot is to create and use an encrypted disk image. cheers

 

[richard.mac]

erm there are many other way to hide files/folders in OS X i.e. look above^

 

[sOwL]

for a much easier way just type this into Terminal

chflags hidden ~/Documents/Microsoft\ User\ Data

and voila!

then replace "hidden" with "nohidden" to unhide.

unless im terribly mistaken, the "hidden" flag does not exist... at least not in tiger

 

[WinterMute]

Use the Hide Folders app, makes the job easy. Free too.

Find it on Versiontracker

 

[.adam]

Hi Kyle,

Download your porn to an external HDD. Noone will ever know you have it then!

No need to thank me.

Adam

 

[Cathode]

for a much easier way just type this into Terminal

chflags hidden ~/Documents/Microsoft\ User\ Data

and voila!

then replace "hidden" with "nohidden" to unhide.

Thank you richthomas! That worked perfectly.

 

[Pancake79]

Thanks guys this what just the answer i was looking for too!

Im kind of new to OSX and Unix based OS in general.
If i wanted to reverse this step what is the command line?

 

[angelwatt]

If i wanted to reverse this step what is the command line?

See post 5.

 

[Pancake79]

See post 5.

Sorry, I tend to do that.

 

[ripkars]

hey guys,
I'm in snow leopard and tex and eclipse do install two folders into /Applications
so, I run the chflags hidden eclipse/tex and then when I'm in finder and navigate to Applications everything works fine (ie: theyre hidden).
But what bothers me is that in Applications folder in the dock still let me see those folders!! why? how can I change that?
Thanks ya!

 

[samwich]

I assume you mean in stacks...try removing the folder from the dock (drag it off) and then re-adding it (drag the folder from Finder back to the dock)

That updated the stack for me.