how to make .file not appear in vscode,How to Make a .file Not Appear in VSCode

How to Make a .file Not Appear in VSCode

Are you tired of seeing a particular file in your VSCode editor that you don’t want to? Maybe it’s a temporary file, a backup, or something else that you don’t need to see. In this guide, I’ll walk you through several methods to make a .file disappear from your VSCode interface. Let’s dive in!

Method 1: Hide the File in the File Explorer

One of the simplest ways to make a file not appear in VSCode is to hide it in the file explorer. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Right-click on the file you want to hide.
2. Select “Properties” from the context menu.
3. Check the “Hidden” checkbox.
4. Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

After doing this, the file should no longer appear in your VSCode file explorer. However, it will still be accessible if you know its exact path.

Method 2: Use a File Filter

VSCode allows you to filter files based on their extensions. You can use this feature to hide specific files from appearing in the editor. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
2. Enter “Preferences: Open Settings (JSON)” and select it.
3. Scroll down to the “files.exclude” section.
4. Enter the file extension you want to exclude, like “.file”, and press Enter.

This will add a new line to the “files.exclude” section, which will look something like this:

"files.exclude": {  ".file": true}

Now, when you open VSCode, the file with the .file extension should not appear in the editor.

Method 3: Use a Custom File Icon

Another way to make a file not appear in VSCode is to change its icon to something that doesn’t match any of the default VSCode icons. This will make the file less noticeable. Here’s how to do it:

1. Right-click on the file you want to hide.
2. Select “Properties” from the context menu.
3. Go to the “Customize” tab.
4. Click on “Change Icon” and select a different icon.
5. Click “OK” to save the changes.

This method is not foolproof, as someone familiar with the file’s path could still find it. However, it can make the file less noticeable to the casual user.

Method 4: Use a File Extension Manager

There are several file extension managers available for VSCode that allow you to customize which files appear in the editor. One such extension is “File Icons.” Here’s how to use it:

1. Open the VSCode Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X on macOS).
2. Search for “File Icons” and install the extension.
3. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
4. Enter “File Icons: Open Settings” and select it.
5. Scroll down to the “Hide Files” section.
6. Enter the file extension you want to hide, like “.file”, and press Enter.

This will add a new line to the “Hide Files” section, which will look something like this:

"hideFiles": [  ".file"]

Now, the file with the .file extension should not appear in your VSCode editor.

Method 5: Use a Custom Workspace Configuration

VSCode allows you to create custom workspaces with specific configurations. You can create a workspace that excludes the file you want to hide. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
2. Enter “Open Workspace Folder” and select it.
3. Choose a folder to create a new workspace.
4. Open the Command Palette again.