How to show ANOTHER user's Library folder?

You can't normally access anything on her account unless you log in to her account. You don't have permission to access stuff in her user folder. If you log in on her account, you can access the Library folder by holding down option while opening the Go menu in the Finder.

If you open your wife's Library Folder once by using the Finder->Go menu as Thomas A Reed suggested, or open it from the Terminal by typing

open /Users/yourwifesusername/Library

and then drag the icon from the Library Finder Window to your sidebar, then it will always be easily accessable to you. Alternatively you just could create an alias that points to the Library.

modify the hidden flag of just the one file:

In the Terminal type

chflags nohidden /Users/your wifes user name/Library

or

sudo chflags nohidden /Users/your wifes user name/Library

You can certainly show or hide one single file/folder, as leonieDF has pointed out. However, this will show that item to your wife as well as to you.

One option would be to show it temporarily, create an alias to it and put it somewhere (anywhere that is convenient would work), then hide it again (change the command from "chflags nohidden" to "chflags hidden"). Then you can access it at any time from your account through the alias, but your wife won't be able to see it.

Alternately, you could always just choose Go -> Go to Folder in the Finder and type in the path to her Library folder:

/Users/username/Library

Just one more thought:

You could create a dedicated administror account for yourself, with all files visible and thus keep your own regular working account pristine.

Since it is very easy to switch between user by fast user switching you could have two different sets of finder settings as administror and as regular user.

I found this solution very handy at work when I have to keep exam papers hidden from students who like to drop into my office unexpedly or if I have to leave my laptop unattended in the class room for a while.

Well, if you're comfortable with the command line, why not just go there and type:

open /Users/yourwife/Library

That will open the Library folder in a new window in the Finder, and then you don't have to remember to toggle the visibility later.

And to make it really simple, without cluttering your sidebar or Desktop you might bind the shell-command to a keyboard shortcut.

1. Wrap the shell command by an Automator Service and install it as a general service, accessible by the Finder services

2. Bind the Service to a keyboard shortcut in the "Keyboard - Services Preference" pane

In Automator: Open new Service

Set the selectors to: Service receives no input in any application

Select: Utilities -> Run Shell Script

drop this action into the right panel

enter: open /Users/yourwife/Library

Save the service, name it e.g. "mylib.service"

Automator will install it in /Users/yourhome/Library/Services

and you should see it immediatly in Finder->Services

I then went to "Finder->Services->Services Preferences" and assigned a keyboard shortcut and now I can open my Library simply by typing cmd-Ö or by using the menu entry.

It is a bit of a bother to set it up, but afterwards very simple to use.