A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

lautrepay · **Joined:** Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:31 am **Posts:** 646

I've looking for a simple tool to quickly and easily show/hide the system files.
The best I found is HiFiTo.

But it's not portable (writes settings to the registry).

Does anybody know about a similar one, but portable?

That said, I'm waiting for I am Baas' replay with the answer that I expect in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

I am Baas · **Joined:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:51 am **Posts:** 2591

1. IIRC, Folder Menu can do that.
2. Multi Commander (thank you for adding

) has an option to show/hide system files but you would have to ask someone to write a script to toggle it on/off with a hotkey (guinness?).

lautrepay · **Joined:** Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:31 am **Posts:** 646

I am Baas wrote:

1. IIRC, Folder Menu can do that.
2. Multi Commander (thank you for adding

) has an option to show/hide system files but you would have to ask someone to write a script to toggle it on/off with a hotkey (guinness?).

Just in time! :mrgreen:

I'll give Folder Menu a try. I already knew about this Multi Commander function, but it's still not my default file manager. Of course, any help from guinness is welcome...
Thanks!

SYSTEM · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:34 pm

7plus has that function as well. The hotkey is Ctrl-Alt-H.

guinness · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:00 am **Posts:** 3740

Someone called me? Seems like SYSTEM has answered the question, but if you really want me to create a script then I can.

Island Boy · **Joined:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:56 pm **Posts:** 112

Create 2 text files.

1st one

Code:

attrib +s +h %1

Rename to "Drag files & folders to hide here.bat"

-------------------------------------------------

2ed one

Code:

attrib -s -h %1

Rename to "Drag files to unhide here (with 7-zip).bat"

guinness · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:00 am **Posts:** 3740

Island Boy,

I think lautrepay meant on a system level not individual file basis. Nice idea though.

Island Boy · **Joined:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:56 pm **Posts:** 112

guinness · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:00 am **Posts:** 3740

Island Boy wrote:

Oh.

As I said, it was a good solution for another issue

Midas · **Posted:** Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:46 am

guinness wrote:

As I said, it was a good solution for another issue

I, for one, totally agree since it's often needed in Windows XP, where you don't have an easy way of changing the System file/folder attribute directly from the GUI -- Island Boy's tip saves a trip to the CLI...

I am Baas · **Joined:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:51 am **Posts:** 2591

http://mlesniew.wordpress.com/2012/10/0 ... -released/

Kea · **Posted:** Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:36 am

Hifito 1.3 seems to do the trick, but I also found Toggle show hidden files (http://showhiddenfiles.sourceforge.net/) that seems to do the same as Hifito (except that it can't toggle the file extensions).

But I don't understand what "Toggle show hidden files" is doing, or how. I choose a hotkey for toggling hidden files and then I close Toggle... Close as in close, not minimized. Then I press the hotkey and the showing of hidden files still toggles. Why and how? Can an alleged portable application really do that, without writing something somewhere (it is not writing to the application folder)?

Then I tried with changing the name on the application folder and the toggling continued to work... When I finally moved the app folder to another drive, the hotkey didn't work anymore.

I understand that the hotkey is in fact a shortcut. The author writes "The program does NOT require installation and does NOT run in background. It simply works with a shortcut in the menu folder." But where can I find that menu folder?

Napiophelios · **Posted:** Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:02 pm

There is a vbs script here that works well.

Quote:

This script when executed, checks the status of "Show hidden files and folders" option and toggles its value.
So if its set to show hidden files, it changes the option to hide hidden files and vice versa.

Simply copy paste following code in NOTEPAD and save as "Show_Hidden_Files_On_Off.vbs" :

Code:

Hidden = "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Hidden"

SHidden = "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\ShowSuperHidden"

Set Sh = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

St = Sh.RegRead(Hidden)

If St = 2 Then

Sh.RegWrite Hidden, 1, "REG_DWORD"

Sh.RegWrite SHidden, 1, "REG_DWORD"

Else

Sh.RegWrite Hidden, 2, "REG_DWORD"

Sh.RegWrite SHidden, 0, "REG_DWORD"

End If

Sh.SendKeys("{F5}")

You might have to use F5 key to refresh folder view of folders already opened before executing.

This article shows how to add it as a contextmenu item

lautrepay · **Joined:** Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:31 am **Posts:** 646

I am Baas wrote:

http://mlesniew.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/hifito-1-3-released/

Thanks. Since my notebook's death I'm indebted with many translations and you made me remember that it's time catch up.

Kea wrote:

But where can I find that menu folder?

In the Start Menu.

Napiophelios wrote:

There is a vbs script here that works well.

As with the program suggested by Kea, I have to press F5 to refresh the view and see the changes.

Island Boy wrote:

Create 2 text files.

1st one

Code:

attrib +s +h %1

Rename to "Drag files & folders to hide here.bat"

-------------------------------------------------

2ed one

Code:

attrib -s -h %1

Rename to "Drag files to unhide here (with 7-zip).bat"

I found this useful, too, thanks. I wonder if it's possible to compile the batch files and place shortcuts in the SendTo folder...

SYSTEM wrote:

7plus has that function as well. The hotkey is Ctrl-Alt-H.

As you've said before, 7plus is really buggy. From time to time I give it a try but I always find problems...

Edit: wrong link fixed. Thanks, SYSTEM.

Napiophelios · **Posted:** Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:44 pm

lautrepay wrote:

Napiophelios wrote:

There is a vbs script here that works well.

As with the program suggested by Kea, I have to press F5 to refresh the view and see the changes.

Yeah so does everyone else when viewing folders already opened :roll:

Seems like it might be easy to add an automated system refresh when activated tho
I dont really know much about vbs scripts tho.

I have been using Moonshelltoys for a while now for this very function
Its not portable tho.

oh well sorry it was no help

A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

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