In macOS, it’s possible to hide folders. The user Library folder, for example, is hidden by default. Hidden folders are invisible to the Finder and don’t show up in open/save dialog boxes.
What can you do if you need to access a hidden folder, e.g. when searching for a specific file within?
The following will work in the open/save dialogs of most Mac applications:
- Force the open/save panel to reveal invisible files and folders by pressing command-shift-period
- Alternatively, press command-shift-G in the open/save panel. You will be asked for the path of the folder you want to go to. Example: To open the Library folder located within your home folder, type ~/Library
When searching with HoudahSpot, you can use both methods to set a hidden folder as search location or exclude it from being searched. Just click one of the pop-up menus in the Locations pane, select “Other…” at the bottom and apply one of the methods mentioned above.
Alternatively, do the following: Navigate to a hidden folder in the Finder by using command-shift-G (or Go > “Go to Folder…” from the Finder menu), then either
- Drag it to HoudahSpot’s Locations pane. Drop it between two rows to add a new search location or exclude location. Or drop it onto an existing row to update that entry
or
- Click HoudahSpot’s Finder toolbar item to start a HoudahSpot search for the current Finder folder