Unhiding Unix Directories

You need to change the AppleShowAllFiles setting.

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sudo chflags nohidden /usr

sudo wants your password, you must be an admin, and it will not echo your the password, just take it on faith it is being entered, then hit return.

See "man chflags"

It's issued with the following Terminal command:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles 1

and then restarting the Finder.

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Instead of unhiding them, use the Go to Folder command in the Finder's Go menu. This function ignores invisibility but considers permissions.

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sudont wrote:

Is there some technical reason why I can't have this, or any other particular directory or file, visible? That is, a technical reason that cannot be overcome?

Anything can be overcome with enough effort (on computers, anyway). You can probably accomplish what you want using the Developer Tools SetFile unix command. However, there are times when it's best to bend with the wind. Those files are hidden with the anticipation that people who don't know what they are doing will have a hard time finding them and will be less likely to nuke their computers by accident. It's a minor hardship for people who do know what they're doing, of course, but I'd recommend adapting to the way things are unless you have a decidedly good reason not to.

sudont wrote:

I would like to "unhide" some of the standard unix directories so that they're visible in the Finder. Is this simply a matter of editing the .hidden file?

Whenever I set up a new machine one of the first things I do is run the following script:

#!/bin/sh

# This script uses Setfile to remove the Finder "invisible" flag.

# A chflags nohidden is a possible substitute.

# fixup_hidden_snowleopard [volume]

# Optional argument used to specify a boot volume.

for f in bin sbin private usr System; do

echo $f

sudo /Developer/Tools/SetFile -a v "$1"/$f

#sudo chflags nohidden "$1"/$f

done

I use SetFile in xcode but I show a commented out chflags command which should equally work.

I prefer being able to always get at those directories (bin, sbin, private, usr, System) if I need to (I won't go into why).

You could create a symlink from your home directory (or an alias) that is not hidden.

I do this for accessing the apache system wide web index.html file's directory.

Macintosh-HD -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal

# Show hidden files & folders in finder

# Just copy the the line starting with defaults into the terminal

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE ;killall Finder

# Normal display. Hide hidden files & folders in finder

# Just copy the the line starting with defaults into the terminal

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE ;killall Finder

The finder comes right back.

.. Don't knw how valid this is anymore. ..

Macintosh-HD -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal

In terminal, type "sudo pico /.hidden", hit return, and type in your password. It doesn't display. Press enter when done typing. When the editor comes up, it should contain the following text. This is a list of all the files and folders at the root of the hard drive that should be hidden from view. (you may not have all those files your hard drive, this is a full list of all the things it should hide if present) If it does not, enter in the missing lines. (order is not important, you can add missing entries to the end if you like) Control-O and Return to save, Control-X to quit. You may have to either log out or restart to make this change effective.

automount

bin

cores

Desktop DB

Desktop DF

Desktop Folder

dev

etc

lost+found

mach

mach_kernel

mach.sym

private

sbin

tmp

Trash

usr

var

VM Storage