A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

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lautrepay
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A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#1 Post by lautrepay »

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

Image Image
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...

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I am Baas
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#2 Post by I am Baas »

1. IIRC, Folder Menu can do that.
2. Multi Commander (thank you for adding :D ) 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
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#3 Post by lautrepay »

I am Baas wrote:1. IIRC, Folder Menu can do that.
2. Multi Commander (thank you for adding :D ) 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!

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SYSTEM
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#4 Post by SYSTEM »

7plus has that function as well. The hotkey is Ctrl-Alt-H.
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guinness
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#5 Post by guinness »

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
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#6 Post by Island Boy »

Create 2 text files.

1st one

Code: Select all

attrib +s +h %1
Rename to "Drag files & folders to hide here.bat"

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


2ed one

Code: Select all

attrib -s -h %1

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

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guinness
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#7 Post by guinness »

Island Boy,

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

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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#8 Post by Island Boy »

Oh. :oops:

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guinness
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#9 Post by guinness »

Island Boy wrote:Oh. :oops:
As I said, it was a good solution for another issue ;)

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Midas
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#10 Post by Midas »

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... 8)


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Kea
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#12 Post by Kea »

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?

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Napiophelios
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#13 Post by Napiophelios »

There is a vbs script here that works well.
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: Select all

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
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#14 Post by lautrepay »

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: Select all

attrib +s +h %1
Rename to "Drag files & folders to hide here.bat"

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


2ed one

Code: Select all

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.
Last edited by lautrepay on Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Napiophelios
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Re: A simple tool to easily show/hide system files?

#15 Post by Napiophelios »

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

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