What is the quickest way to toggle hide/show hidden files on a Mac OS X Yosemite?

Question

I\'m on Yosemite, and I want to toggle hide/show all the hidden files on a Mac.

Every-time, I want to do that I have to go to Terminal.app and run

Answer 1

I came across another solution by using Automator.

Open Automator Select Services Select Utilities -> Run Shell Script (drag it into the window on the right)

Top bar above code window. Service receives: no input in Finder

Add the following code to show hidden files

status=`defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles`
if [ $status == true ];
then
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles false
else 
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles true
fi
killall Finder

Save the script.

Make a shortcut Go to System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Services and find the Services you made showing hidden files. There might be a shortcut there if so test it out. If there is not shortcut there then add shift+cmd+. (period) as the shortcut.

To show hidden files use the shortcut: shift+cmd+. (period). To hide the files use the same shortcut again.

OR click the desktop and go to in the top menu: Finder -> Services -> name of file to show hidden files. First time to show the files and second time to hide them.

To delete Services scripts. Go to your hard drive -> user name -> Library -> Services -> and there you will see the Services Automator scripts.

Resources used: https://discussions.apple.com/message/29357134#29357134

How to delete Automator services. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaVHwhau1M4

Here is a tutorial that I made: https://www.easywebdesigntutorials.com/easily-show-hide-hidden-files-on-the-mac/