Make files invisible:
SetFile file -a V
SetFile can change a lot of other file attributes and metadata, as well.
SetFile is not a OS X native command it comes bundled with DevTools/Xcode.
If you don't have Xcode and don't want to download about 6 GB, you can use
sudo chflags hidden|nohidden <file/folder>
chflags is a BSD command and it also has a Man Page just enter this in Terminal
man chflags
for those who don't like to enter commands self and just would like to know what there stands in the man. Here you have:
CHFLAGS(1) BSD General Commands Manual CHFLAGS(1)
NAME
chflags -- change file flags
SYNOPSIS
chflags [-fhv] [-R [-H | -L | -P]] flags file ...
DESCRIPTION
The chflags utility modifies the file flags of the listed files as speci-
fied by the flags operand.
The options are as follows:
-f Do not display a diagnostic message if chflags could not modify
the flags for file, nor modify the exit status to reflect such
failures.
-H If the -R option is specified, symbolic links on the command line
are followed. (Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal
are not followed.)
-h If the file is a symbolic link, change the file flags of the link
itself rather than the file to which it points.
-L If the -R option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.
-P If the -R option is specified, no symbolic links are followed.
This is the default.
-R Change the file flags for the file hierarchies rooted in the
files instead of just the files themselves.
-v Cause chflags to be verbose, showing filenames as the flags are
modified. If the -v option is specified more than once, the old
and new flags of the file will also be printed, in octal nota-
tion.
The flags are specified as an octal number or a comma separated list of
keywords. The following keywords are currently defined:
arch, archived
set the archived flag (super-user only)
opaque set the opaque flag (owner or super-user only). [Directory
is opaque when viewed through a union mount]
nodump set the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)
sappnd, sappend
set the system append-only flag (super-user only)
schg, schange, simmutable
set the system immutable flag (super-user only)
uappnd, uappend
set the user append-only flag (owner or super-user only)
uchg, uchange, uimmutable
set the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)
hidden set the hidden flag [Hide item from GUI]
As discussed in chflags(2), the sappnd and schg flags may only be unset
when the system is in single-user mode.
Putting the letters ``no'' before or removing the letters ``no'' from a
keyword causes the flag to be cleared. For example:
nouchg clear the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)
dump clear the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)
Unless the -H or -L options are given, chflags on a symbolic link always
succeeds and has no effect. The -H, -L and -P options are ignored unless
the -R option is specified. In addition, these options override each
other and the command's actions are determined by the last one specified.
You can use "ls -lO" to see the flags of existing files.
EXIT STATUS
The chflags utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.
SEE ALSO
ls(1), chflags(2), stat(2), fts(3), symlink(7)
HISTORY
The chflags command first appeared in 4.4BSD.
BUGS
Only a limited number of utilities are chflags aware. Some of these
tools include ls(1), cp(1), find(1), install(1), dump(8), and restore(8).
In particular a tool which is not currently chflags aware is the pax(1)
utility.
BSD March 3, 2006 BSD