Q: Library is invisible - how to make it visible

Launch Terminal and at the prompt copy/paste this command

chflags nohidden ~/Library

Unhide universally on all volumes

chflags nohidden /Volumes/*/Users/*/Library

Bomiboll wrote:

 

I would like to make all folders visible in Mac OS Lion.

Do you realize how many hidden folders there are in OS X?  Making them all visible would be cumbersome, not to mention inviting risky behavior.

It seems that Library is not visible, not from the home folder

To visit your user's Library folder, just hold down an "option" key before you pull down the Finder's "Go" menu.  That will make "Library" one of the "Go" options.

You're really using too big a hammer to pull that splinter out.

Just use William's suggestion to show the Library folder, then Enter Time Machine.

Or, Enter Time Machine, then when you have  Finder window, type cmd-shift-G and type ~/Library into the field and click Go. You'll be in the hidden Library folder where you can find and restore whatever it is you need.

That's great but I have a botched backup (long story ..) and I need to copy back the data -- how do I make visible the Library in the backup?

I don't know, but it isn't really necessary.

Mount the backup and type cmd-shift-G in the Finder. Type

/Volumes/<backupVolumeName>/Users/<yourUserName>/Library and hit return.

Substitute the appropriate information where indicated by <>. That will open the "hidden" Library folder.

For each section you can start typeing the words and hit Tab and it will auto-fill in what it finds that matches. If it doesn't, keep typing the full name.

I don't know about in Mac OS 10.7 but in Mac OS 10.9 you go to your home folder and select View > Show View Options (cmd-j) and there should be a check box marked "Show Library Folder" this is the easiest way to alow yourself access to your library folder.

hmmmm .... what am I missing?

Well, that is the view options for "Macintosh HD" not your home folder.

As you can see in the above screenshot the home folder (whited out) is selected as I prompted see view options -- what is it that I am missing?

The view options title bar lists the directory you are editing and it says "Macintosh HD", to edit your home folder you need to be inside of it.

You are succumbing to an age-old problem with List View. In List View, the current folder is the one whose name shows in the Title bar, not the folder you have selected. So, when you Get Info, it is showing the info for the Current folder, Macintosh HD.

If you Ctrl-click on your home folder there, you can choose Get Info from the contextual menu and it will be for that folder.

While you are a much better writer than I am, they need to get to Show View Options not Get Info, you access the view options for a folder from inside it because you are editing the way finder displays the files. See how I have a custom background color and text size (the defalult might actualy be 14 I don't remimber).

thank you --

ArthurCannon wrote:

 

While you are a much better writer than I am, they need to get to Show View Options

Doh. Yep. Only way to get there is to open the folder to make it the current one, as you stated.