Solved Is there a way to hide files of only one particular extension/type?

[pxfragonard]

I use a program that saves a data file for every image that I process. It's called DxO Optics. This is unlike Photoshop Lightroom 4, which stores that info in a database. It's inconvenient to scroll thru these files which show up as icons. Is there a way to make files invisible by type? These ones have the extension .dop and just show a white page. So far all I see is hide/show in tools/view but I hope there's a way to just hide those files in explorer. Any chance of that?

 

[writhziden]

You can create a batch script (call it hide.bat for instance) in the folder and put in the batch file:

attrib +h *.dop
​

Then just run the batch file when you want to hide the files. If you need step by step instructions for how to create a batch file:

• Open the folder in question
• Click on Organize (upper left corner of the window under the back and forward buttons)
• Folder and search options
• View tab
• uncheck hide extensions for know files types
• click OK
• Right click in an empty area of the folder (careful not to right click on a file)
• Click New -> Text Document
• Delete all the text in the text document name including the .txt part
• Name the file hide.bat
• Right click hide.bat and click Edit
• Type in the command I gave above for attrib +h *.dop
• Save, and exit.
• That's it; you can hide extensions to known file types again if you want.

 

[pxfragonard]

You can create a batch script (call it hide.bat for instance) in the folder and put in the batch file:

attrib +h *.dop
​

Then just run the batch file when you want to hide the files. If you need step by step instructions for how to create a batch file:

• Open the folder in question
• Click on Organize (upper left corner of the window under the back and forward buttons)
• Folder and search options
• View tab
• uncheck hide extensions for know files types
• click OK
• Right click in an empty area of the folder (careful not to right click on a file)
• Click New -> Text Document
• Delete all the text in the text document name including the .txt part
• Name the file hide.bat
• Right click hide.bat and click Edit
• Type in the command I gave above for attrib +h *.dop
• Save, and exit.
• That's it; you can hide extensions to known file types again if you want.

Wow! That's great and yes, I did need step-by-step instructions. Two questions:

1) Do I have to leave the spaces in attrib +h *.dop between attrib and + and h and *?
2) Will it work in all subfolders (I have a LOT of folders in which these pesky files are visible)?

Oh and
3) If I need to see them again, just restart the computer?

 

[pxfragonard]

Oops! I just realized that the file extension is .CR2.dop and I'm worried that I'd hide all the .CR2 files....

 

[EzioAuditore]

1) Do I have to leave the spaces in attrib +h *.dop between attrib and + and h and *?

Yes, there is a indeed a space between them.

attrib +h *.dop

2) Will it work in all subfolders (I have a LOT of folders in which these pesky files are visible)?

You'll have to edit the bat file to change to the directory first i.e. add

[CODE]cd \path\to\directory

[/CODE] before the attrib line.

Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

3) If I need to see them again, just restart the computer?

Restarting won't do as the 'hidden' attribute has been added to the files. You'll have to either select 'Show hidden files and folders' from Tools>Folder options or edit the bat file w/ the +h replaced w/ -h.

Oops! I just realized that the file extension is .CR2.dop and I'm worried that I'd hide all the .CR2 files....

The extension of this type of file would still be .dop. Windows treats the words after the last dot as extension.

 

[writhziden]

Another option is to put the batch file in the top level directory. You could make two batch files, one with a +h called hide.bat and one with a -h called unhide.bat for instance. In the top level, create the hide.bat file with this command:

attrib /s /d +h *.dop​

and the unhide.bat file with:

attrib /s /d -h *.dop​

These will hide/unhide all files in the current directory and every subdirectory within that directory.

 

[pxfragonard]

1) Do I have to leave the spaces in attrib +h *.dop between attrib and + and h and *?

Yes, there is a indeed a space between them.

attrib +h *.dop

2) Will it work in all subfolders (I have a LOT of folders in which these pesky files are visible)?

You'll have to edit the bat file to change to the directory first i.e. add

[CODE]cd \path\to\directory

[/CODE] before the attrib line.

Someone correct me if i'm wrong.


Restarting won't do as the 'hidden' attribute has been added to the files. You'll have to either select 'Show hidden files and folders' from Tools>Folder options or edit the bat file w/ the +h replaced w/ -h.

Oops! I just realized that the file extension is .CR2.dop and I'm worried that I'd hide all the .CR2 files....

The extension of this type of file would still be .dop. Windows treats the words after the last dot as extension.

Thanks not only for an answer but a great deal of insight into how these things work.

 

[pxfragonard]

Another option is to put the batch file in the top level directory. You could make two batch files, one with a +h called hide.bat and one with a -h called unhide.bat for instance. In the top level, create the hide.bat file with this command:

attrib /s /d +h *.dop​

and the unhide.bat file with:

attrib /s /d -h *.dop​

These will hide/unhide all files in the current directory and every subdirectory within that directory.

Thanks for a very elegant and simple solution. I take it s / d means subdirectory... very nice!

 

[writhziden]

Thanks for a very elegant and simple solution. I take it s / d means subdirectory... very nice!

The /s means all files within the directory containing that extension will have the attribute applied. /d, as you guessed, means all directories and subdirectories will be checked for files with that extension. The directories themselves will not be hidden, but the files with that extension contained in the directories will have the hidden attribute applied or removed.

 

[EzioAuditore]

Another option is to put the batch file in the top level directory. You could make two batch files, one with a +h called hide.bat and one with a -h called unhide.bat for instance. In the top level, create the hide.bat file with this command:

attrib /s /d +h *.dop​

and the unhide.bat file with:

attrib /s /d -h *.dop​

These will hide/unhide all files in the current directory and every subdirectory within that directory.

Thanks for a very elegant and simple solution. I take it s / d means subdirectory... very nice!

Here's what they mean:

/S Processes files in all directories in the specified path.
/D Process folders as well.

You can type attrib /? in a command window to know as what switches does it support and what they do.

If you just type /? you'll get a list of all the commands with their respective brief explanation...

You can do wonders (as i like to say) by mastering the commandline..

 

[pxfragonard]

Thanks for a very elegant and simple solution. I take it s / d means subdirectory... very nice!

The /s means all files within the directory containing that extension will have the attribute applied. /d, as you guessed, means all directories and subdirectories will be checked for files with that extension. The directories themselves will not be hidden, but the files with that extension contained in the directories will have the hidden attribute applied or removed.

Thanks very much!

 

[pxfragonard]

Another option is to put the batch file in the top level directory. You could make two batch files, one with a +h called hide.bat and one with a -h called unhide.bat for instance. In the top level, create the hide.bat file with this command:

attrib /s /d +h *.dop​

and the unhide.bat file with:

attrib /s /d -h *.dop​

These will hide/unhide all files in the current directory and every subdirectory within that directory.

Thanks for a very elegant and simple solution. I take it s / d means subdirectory... very nice!

Here's what they mean:

/S Processes files in all directories in the specified path.
/D Process folders as well.

You can type attrib /? in a command window to know as what switches does it support and what they do.

If you just type /? you'll get a list of all the commands with their respective brief explanation...

You can do wonders (as i like to say) by mastering the commandline..

Mastering the command line is way beyond me now but it's exciting to know you can make computers do any logical series of things because it's just a machine. I'm going to try to understand and work toward that goal.

 

[EzioAuditore]

Thanks for a very elegant and simple solution. I take it s / d means subdirectory... very nice!

Here's what they mean:

/S Processes files in all directories in the specified path.
/D Process folders as well.

You can type attrib /? in a command window to know as what switches does it support and what they do.

If you just type /? you'll get a list of all the commands with their respective brief explanation...

You can do wonders (as i like to say) by mastering the commandline..

Mastering the command line is way beyond me now but it's exciting to know you can make computers do any logical series of things because it's just a machine. I'm going to try to understand and work toward that goal.

Even a 1000 miles journey begins with a single step. So, good luck exploring!

 

[pxfragonard]

Thanks guys. Solved!!!

 

[writhziden]

You're welcome; that's excellent. Glad you learned a bit along the way, too.

 

[pxfragonard]

It's quite fascinating. I'm going to try to learn about the command line functions!

 

[cutedrdave]

one more question on this topic...
does the attrib command to hide a file type continue to apply to new instances of a given file type, or does it only hide files which are in existence at the time the .bat file is run?

 

[Pyprohly]

The Attrib command will not continue to hide new instances of a file type. You will have to set the Hidden attribute onto new files for them to be hidden.

 

[cutedrdave]

Thanks for the speedy reply, Pyprohly! I figured as much, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

So, if you designate a particular file extension as a system /hidden file, how is that different from other system (hidden) files, which become hidden as part of the general operations of the system (ie without the user running a .bat file, thus setting the hidden attrib? (ie get the +h attribute)? Are they made to be hidden by the OS, or some other process that has not been discussed here?

 

[Pyprohly]

So, if you designate a particular file extension [...]

File Attributes are relevant per item (whether file or folder), and not per file type or extension.

[...] as a system /hidden file, how is that different from other system (hidden) files

Under what meaning of 'different' do you refer? Would you like to give an example of a sort of difference you are expecting?

Do note that Hidden and System are two different types of File Attributes. A System marked file does not necessarily imply hidden.