How to find hidden folders using Finder

You could make an AppleScript application that you place in your Dock, or even the Finder toolbar, and each time that you click it, hidden files/folders appear or disappear. If you decide to remove from the Finder window toolbar, then press the command key and click/drag the icon off. The following was tested on OS X 10.11.5.

Launch your Script Editor (Launchpad : Other : Script Editor). Copy and paste the following (see below) AppleScript into the Script Editor. Click the compile button (hammer icon). Now run it (black triangle button) with an open Finder window on your home directory. You want to save the content twice:

1. Save the source code that you have just pasted as Text
   1. File Format: Text (this adds an applescript extension to your filename
   2. Save in Documents or your location choice for safe keeping.
   3. No check boxes selected
2. Save as an Application (option + File menu : Save As…)
   1. File Format: Application
   2. Location: /Applications

      Drag and drop from Applications to your Dock, or to the Finder window toolbar (short filename e.g. Nohide)

   3. Checkbox: Hide Extension
   4. Quit Script Editor

AppleScript:

-- Attribution to, and submitted by Baltwo on Apple Support Community

try

do shell script "defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles"

on error

do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles False"

end try

if (do shell script "defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles") is equal to "False" then

do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles True"

else

do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles False"

end if

do shell script "killall Finder"

Do not include the quotes.

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

Which "hidden" folders are you trying to show?

The "Show Library Folder" option in View Options merely shows the user Library. It doesn't show all hidden items in the file system.

If trying to show the user Library, what part doesn't work?

Can you find the setting?

Can you check it?

There is no need to relaunch the Finder.

Try adding killall Finder to the end.

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true ; killall Finder

I don't know why it didn't work then. It works for me once I relaunch the Finder. You could try creating a new user and see if it works there. Or restart in Safe Mode and test.

OS X El Capitan: Start up in safe mode

You could install Onyx which has a parameter for showing hidden files,

http://www.titanium.free.fr/

queenmab100 wrote:

I'm trying to show a folder which is in the following location:

/users/library/username/library/thunderbird

It would be: /Users/username/Library

The short path: ~/Library

Also, it's: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

True and false are boolean values. The boolean data type is typically only a single bit in size. True would indicate a binary value of 1 and false would be a 0. A bit is a single binary number.

Copy and Paste this into "Go to Folder…"

~/Library/Thunderbird/

queenmab100 wrote:

I'm trying to show a folder which is in the following location:

/users/library/username/library/thunderbird

Just to clarify something, the path you say you are trying to reach would not and cannot exist in OSX. So there is no way to find such a folder.