oh_its_a_me

Q: How to show hidden files in Finder (OS X 10.9)?

Hi Apple-lovers and Apple-users!

 

I haven't found a solution, how to show hidden files in Finder since the update to OS X 10.9.. I know how to show them in the Terminal but I want to see them in the Finder too.
I know the Terminal-commands for showing hidden files in OS X 10.8. ("defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE&&killall Finder") but this doesn't work anymore.

 

So if somebody has figured it out yet - please help me!

 

Yours,
oh_its_a_me

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 25, 2013 12:49 PM

Close

Q: How to show hidden files in Finder (OS X 10.9)?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 3 of 5 last Next
  • by petermac87,

    petermac87 petermac87 Dec 23, 2013 12:23 PM in response to MJAtlas
    Level 5 (7,402 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 12:23 PM in response to MJAtlas

    MJAtlas wrote:

     

    I'm good, thanks guys

     

    I'll leave it at this -- If you don't have it, download it.

    Download it? You said it was part of the OSX. Please refrain from posting misinformation.

     

     

    Merry Christmas

     

    Pete

  • by Michael Kühnel,

    Michael Kühnel Michael Kühnel Dec 23, 2013 12:24 PM in response to Tony T1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 12:24 PM in response to Tony T1

    Thanks, already tried that. Surprisingly it didn’t work.

    Everything is looking fine after firing up:

    defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles 1

     

    But after:

    killall Finder

    the .plist content seems to be reverted.

     

    It looks like I messed up something with my permissions. I’m going to check the permissions of the corresponding files from the test user account where it is working.

  • by Tony T1,

    Tony T1 Tony T1 Dec 23, 2013 12:30 PM in response to MJAtlas
    Level 6 (9,249 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 23, 2013 12:30 PM in response to MJAtlas

    MJAtlas wrote:

    I'll leave it at this -- If you don't have it, download it.

     

    No need for a 3rd party app, just open Terminal and:

         defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true

         killall Finder

  • by Michael Kühnel,

    Michael Kühnel Michael Kühnel Dec 23, 2013 12:30 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 12:30 PM in response to Barney-15E

    Barney-15E wrote:

     

    What is driving this tireless yearning to see the hidden files?

     

    I've rarely had a need to see the hidden files. I've edited quite a few of them, but I never needed to see them to do that. Maybe there is another way to accomplish what you want.

     

    Handling dotfiles is a pretty common task when doing web development. Of course I’m using the terminal and have a texteditor which is showing dotfiles. But from time to time I just like to see these files within the finder ; ]

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Dec 23, 2013 12:31 PM in response to Michael Kühnel
    Level 9 (50,767 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 23, 2013 12:31 PM in response to Michael Kühnel

    I guess if you have to see them, you have to see them.

    You can always see them in the Terminal

    ls -a /path/to/folder

  • by Michael Kühnel,

    Michael Kühnel Michael Kühnel Dec 23, 2013 12:33 PM in response to MJAtlas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 12:33 PM in response to MJAtlas

    MJAtlas wrote:

     

    You guys are completely nuts - Just use OnyX -- t's built in to every mac os.

     

    One check box, vs whatever insanity you're trying to script..

    Yes maybe you need to be nuts to omit tools like Onyx. But why should I use GUI-Tools when things are so much faster with bash (scripts). See https://github.com/mathiasbynens/dotfiles/blob/master/.osx to get the idea ; ]

  • by petermac87,

    petermac87 petermac87 Dec 23, 2013 12:34 PM in response to Tony T1
    Level 5 (7,402 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 12:34 PM in response to Tony T1

    Tony T1 wrote:

     

    MJAtlas wrote:

    I'll leave it at this -- If you don't have it, download it.

     

    No need for a 3rd party app, just open Terminal and:

         defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true

         killall Finder

    I don't believe MJAtlas would be capable of understanding how to do that. Luckily for us he left the thread before making any more ridiculous claims.

     

    On with business......

     

    Merry Christmas

     

    Pete

  • by Michael Kühnel,

    Michael Kühnel Michael Kühnel Dec 23, 2013 12:53 PM in response to Tony T1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 12:53 PM in response to Tony T1

    Tony T1 wrote:

     

    Try re-setting Finder Preferences by dragging ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist to the Trash

    then in Terminal defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles 1

     

    Note: this will reset any Finder Prefereces you set in Finder->Preferences

    Okay. com.apple.finder.plist has the same permissions at both users. BUT there is an additional file at the user where I’m not able to change the settings for hidden files.

     

    It is called com.apple.finder.plist.lockfile and I can guess by the filename that this file is causing my problems.

    I have know idea where it came from …

     

    Do anyone of you know what’s the matter with this file?

     

    Best regards and merry christmas    

  • by Michael Kühnel,

    Michael Kühnel Michael Kühnel Dec 23, 2013 12:58 PM in response to Michael Kühnel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 12:58 PM in response to Michael Kühnel
  • by Michael Kühnel,

    Michael Kühnel Michael Kühnel Dec 23, 2013 1:54 PM in response to Michael Kühnel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 1:54 PM in response to Michael Kühnel

    Okay. I guess I have to give up.

    Deleting the lockfile and rebooting the system changed nothing.

     

    Still the same behavior:

     

    1.

    $ defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles

    FALSE

     

    2.

    $ defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool TRUE

     

    3.

    $ defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles

    1

     

    4.

    $ killall Finder

     

    Finder restarts but is not showing any hidden files

     

    5.

    $ defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles

    1

     

    6.

    $ defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles

    FALSE

     

    Also tried it with:

    defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

     

    I also trashed com.apple.finder.plist another time.

     

    I’m absolutely clueless. Seems that my user is messed up. But there are really no other problems with that user. Strange

  • by lisdavid89,

    lisdavid89 lisdavid89 Dec 23, 2013 7:21 PM in response to oh_its_a_me
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 7:21 PM in response to oh_its_a_me

    FYI, in Mavericks, everything you pass to OS X using Terminal is case-sensitive.

     

    This is what I used and it works on OS X 10.9.1 (note that finder has a lowercare "f"):

    defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true

     

    And don't forget (and this Finder has an uppercase "F"):

    killall Finder

     

    And to undo it:

    defaults delete com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles

     

    Sorry about the coloring, didn't think copy and paste from my terminal into this would do that. Too lazy to turn off HTML mode and remove the formattings. Why one finder requires a lowercase "f" and another Finder requires an uppercase "F", I will never know (and don't care much as long as things work). Hope this helps everyone.

     

    -David

  • by Tony T1,

    Tony T1 Tony T1 Dec 23, 2013 7:34 PM in response to lisdavid89
    Level 6 (9,249 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 23, 2013 7:34 PM in response to lisdavid89

    lisdavid89 wrote:

     

    Sorry about the coloring, didn't think copy and paste from my terminal into this would do that. Too lazy to turn off HTML mode and remove the formattings.

     

    When you paste, instead of ⌘V, use ⌥⇧⌘V

  • by Michael Kühnel,

    Michael Kühnel Michael Kühnel Dec 24, 2013 1:21 AM in response to lisdavid89
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 24, 2013 1:21 AM in response to lisdavid89

    lisdavid89 wrote:

     

    FYI, in Mavericks, everything you pass to OS X using Terminal is case-sensitive.

     

    That’s not the point for my specific problem. And your answer is already given on page 1 posting 4

    Thanks anyway.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Dec 24, 2013 6:37 AM in response to Michael Kühnel
    Level 9 (50,767 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 24, 2013 6:37 AM in response to Michael Kühnel

    How about the permissions on the Permissions and Library folders?

    Also make sure you look at any ACLs that might have gotten added.

  • by bhlim8,

    bhlim8 bhlim8 Jan 5, 2014 10:52 PM in response to Tom Jones 1999
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 5, 2014 10:52 PM in response to Tom Jones 1999

    Tom Jones 1999 wrote:

     

    Try this application I made a while ago, it's very easy to use,

     

    http://goo.gl/XfHxqC

     

    This was helpful app.. Thanks !

first Previous Page 3 of 5 last Next