Security - Invisible files -

[jbrown]

Sure I'm overlooking something simple - but how can I make a file invisible, so my sensitive details are away from prying eyes. Preferably some easy way to make it invisible, then visible again when I want it.

This will only be for one or two files.

cheers

 

[quigleybc]

I think you can do that with the free program called "Onyx"

 

[jsw]

Well, making them invisible is easy with Terminal - basically a drag-n-drop into a command.

Open Terminal.

Type "mv " (note the space) and don't hit return.

Drag your file's icon onto the Terminal window. Your line will now look something like:

mv /Users/yourname/Desktop/myfile.txt

add a space (" ") if there isn't one at the line's end, and retype the file name with a '.' in front of the last part (the name itself), like this:

mv /Users/yourname/Desktop/myfile.txt /Users/yourname/Desktop/.myfile.txt

Hit 'return' and the file is now invisible to most users.

The thing is, you need to reverse that to make it visible:

mv /Users/yourname/Desktop/.myfile.txt /Users/yourname/Desktop/myfile.txt

which is easy if you're comfortable with beginner's Unix but tough otherwise if you forget the name.

 

[yellow]

There's also a way to make items invisible to the Finder with the SetFile util from the developer's tools.

There's also a GUIfied app out there that will just add a . to the file name to hide/unhide and adds a password protection (to the app). Just be sure to know that your file is NOT protected. It's just hidden. Anyone can find/read it with passable Google-fu.

If you want REAL security, look into making a password protected disk image (128bit encrypted) and store your files there. If you don't have the password, you don't open the disk image, you don't see the files.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

And you can follow both the advice above: Make an encrypted disk image (preferably a sparseimage), rename it to add a '.' and you have an invisible safe for your - æhem - sensitive files.

You open/mount the hidden file by typing open /path/to/.nameofhidden.sparseimage and then just eject it from finder when you want to close/unmount it.

 

[jbrown]

Thanks for the replies,but.....

This is rediculous - the terminal tip and the encrypted disk are such cumbersome answers to a basic problem ( assume for just a minute that I'm not a terminal jockey ).

I want to click onto a small app or prefpane, be promted for my password, enter it, and then be able to make a file or folder invisible.

Then open the app again, passwords again, and have a list of files I've hidden and be able to make them visible again.

Simple.

Someone must have written a prog to do this - or have I stumbled onto a goldmine in the waiting - sadly I know not how to program

 

[yellow]

Someone must have written a prog to do this

As I said.. someone has.

Search on http://www.versiontracker.com and/or http://www.macupdate.com

 

[quigleybc]

Like I said,

Onyx

also, there is a program called "hideout" which will do exactly what you said above.

If you're like me, and try to avoid the terminal as much as humanly possible, then try those two apps.

 

[jbrown]

Looking at Onx, and while a useful utility, I don;t think it'll do what I'm asking - Just about to test HideOut

 

[quigleybc]

Looking at Onx, and while a useful utility, I don;t think it'll do what I'm asking - Just about to test HideOut

ya i'm not positive about onyx, i just know a friend uses it to hide his pr0n folder...so, I thought it might suit your needs.

Hideout is good, too bad it's called "hideout" though...makes it pretty obvious that there are things being hidden.....but, it'll do the job.