From: Paul Sture on
In article <00cd153f$0$23338$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com>,
JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot(a)vaxination.ca> wrote:

> It isn't so much the .hidden files I am after, it is the unix
> directories such as /etc /usr /volumes etc.
>
> This is sort for a crash course for me. It isn't a question of exploring
> the system to learn, it is a question of finding ways to convert all the
> functionality I have on VMS to Unix. So there is a lot to learn ASAP.
>
> So having the easiest tools to find what there is in Unix is very
> useful, and the finder one one such useful tool to look/explore to find
> out where apps , config files etc are located.
>
> And yes, /private is one of those directories which are hidden by the
> finder and by the dock.

For an exercise I've just put /tftpboot and /etc on my dock :-)

In Finder, Command-Shift-G, tap /private into the dialog, and then drag
each folder in turn to the RHS (document area) of the Dock.

/etc got the TextWrangler icon (I'm not sure why, probably something in
my TextWrangler preferences).

Right clicking on that icon allows you to set your display preferences.

--
Paul Sture
From: Paul Sture on
In article <C776A45B.4FEA4%nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid>,
Nick Naym <nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid> wrote:

> In article barmar-2759D6.22191615012010(a)nothing.attdns.com, Barry Margolin
> at barmar(a)alum.mit.edu wrote on 1/15/10 10:19 PM:
>
> > In article <jollyroger-9F5B1E.21013315012010(a)news.individual.net>,
> > Jolly Roger <jollyroger(a)pobox.com> wrote:
> >
> >> It seems like you're saying showing hidden files in the Finder is useful
> >> as a learning tool, to help someone get familiar with the Unix file
> >> system that is normally obscured. I don't recall ever having done that
> >> to learn the Unix file system, myself; but whatever gets the job done.
> >
> > I think it should just be easy to toggle displaying hidden files.
>
> It is: http://is.gd/6kUUu
>

Thanks. The Applescript source code is included, and sends Quit to
Finder rather than doing the killall I suggested in my previous post.
This is done so that Finder will restore the current windows on restart;
the killall method won't remember recent changes to your Finder windows.

--
Paul Sture
From: Paul Sture on
In article <barmar-2759D6.22191615012010(a)nothing.attdns.com>,
Barry Margolin <barmar(a)alum.mit.edu> wrote:

> In article <jollyroger-9F5B1E.21013315012010(a)news.individual.net>,
> Jolly Roger <jollyroger(a)pobox.com> wrote:
>
> > It seems like you're saying showing hidden files in the Finder is useful
> > as a learning tool, to help someone get familiar with the Unix file
> > system that is normally obscured. I don't recall ever having done that
> > to learn the Unix file system, myself; but whatever gets the job done.
>
> I think it should just be easy to toggle displaying hidden files.
>
> Similar to the CLI, you use "ls" to list files normally, and "ls -a" to
> include the hidden files.

I agree. A checkbox in Finder would be nice (as an option in the View
menu and a corresponding Toolbar icon).

Currently the easiest way to do this is:

To switch display of hidden/system files ON:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles true
killall Finder

To switch display of hidden/system files OFF:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles false
killall Finder

It's having to relaunch Finder which makes things not so smooth.

--
Paul Sture
From: Paul Sture on
In article <michelle-02A61C.08361315012010(a)news.eternal-september.org>,
Michelle Steiner <michelle(a)michelle.org> wrote:

> In article <paul.nospam-A6B808.16144315012010(a)pbook.sture.ch>,
> Paul Sture <paul.nospam(a)sture.ch> wrote:
>
> > > BTW, how does one go about finding such nuggest of information on the
> > > Apple site ? (such as the shift-command-period to list hidden files
> > > and shift command g to a "goto folder" menu in a file selection
> > > dialogue ?)
> >
> > In Leopard and previous versions, Shift Command G is shown in the Finder
> > Go menu. Has that been dropped in Snow Leopard?
>
> This is about being within an Open or Save (Save As) dialog.
> Command-Shift-G invokes a sheet within the dialog.

The beauty of a modular system :-)

All the shortcuts shown in the Finder Go menu (except for Command-K)
also work in an Open or Save dialog. I haven't tried this with any
Carbon apps; they may not be the same.

--
Paul Sture
From: Paul Sture on
In article <michelle-58C6C1.19461715012010(a)news.eternal-september.org>,
Michelle Steiner <michelle(a)michelle.org> wrote:

> In article <150120101620497992%fake(a)notreal.net>,
> "Ed H." <fake(a)notreal.net> wrote:
>
> > I notice that Cmd-Shift-/ (on the keypad) also brings up a "Go to the
> > folder" sheet in dialogs with the forward slash typed in for you.
>
> In 10.6.2, only the plain slash, without any modifiers, does that.

As does 10.5.8, with the non-keypad slash as well.

--
Paul Sture