Show or hide hidden files using a service made in Automator.

Instead of opening the terminal one can instead make an Automator script to turn on or off hidden files on the Mac. I will then show how to create a shortcut in the Finder -> Services menu.

Go to applications and open the Automator.
Select Service. Then click the Choose button.

New file in Automator select – Service

From the left:
Under Library -> Select Utilities
To the right of Utilities: select Run Shell Script and also drag it to the empty window on the right.
Below the record button top right:
Service receives drop down select no input  (bottom of drop down list) and select in the next drop down in Finder.

Automator. Select: Library -> Utilities. Then select: Run Shell Script. Then select: Service receives: no input in Finder

The Run Shell Script section is seen the window on the right add the following code into it.

osascript -e ‘tell application “Finder” to quit’
SHOWHIDDEN=`defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles`
if [ $SHOWHIDDEN -eq 1 ]; then
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool FALSE
else
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool TRUE
fi
osascript -e ‘tell application “Finder” to activate’

Save the file. I called min Show Hide hidden files.
To use the script click the desktop and go to the Finder menu -> select Services -> name of show-hide file.
Finder will refresh and show the hidden files. Turn on or off  hidden files by selecting the Services and show-hide file.

NB! If you get an error with the above code. Use the following code instead:

status=`defaults read com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles`

if [ $status == true ];
then
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles false
else
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles true
fi

killall Finder

Automator Services script location

The Automator script we just created is located in:
Go to your hard drive -> user name -> Library -> Services -> and there you will see the Services Automator script.

Creating a shortcut

Go to System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Services and find the Services you made showing hidden files. There might be a shortcut there if so test it out. If there is not shortcut there then add shift+cmd+. (period) as the shortcut.

To show hidden files use the shortcut: shift+cmd+. (period).
To hide the files use the same shortcut again.

Using terminal to show or hide hidden files

The classic way to show and hide hidden files is to open terminal.
Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal
Then write:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

To hide:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE

Resources:
manishluintel.com.np/hide-unhide/
discussions.apple.com/message/29357134#29357134

How to delete Automator services.
Youtube video
tekrevue.com/tip/show-hidden-files-on-mac-os-x/

Software to show or hide hidden files.
nektony.com/products/funter