Hidden files and folders

Oropod hides a file or folder if its name starts with a dot (e.g. .hidden). This is the same convention used by e.g. macOS and Linux. Oropod will still read metadata from a hidden file, but not show it or auto-download it for offline use. You can use this mechanism to e.g. store metadata without cluttering what other team members see.

What counts as hidden

  • A file whose name starts with a dot, e.g. .DS_Store
  • Everything inside a folder whose name starts with a dot, however deep, e.g. .metadata/Day 12/Take report.csv

This also covers the clutter macOS leaves behind when copying to drives and shares formatted for other systems, for instance .DS_Store files, and the ._ files sitting next to clips (._A024C002_161101_R11M.mov). Oropod ignores them, so they never show up as e.g. unviewable or otherwise confusing files.

What Oropod does with hidden files

Oropod still imports metadata from hidden files.

Keeping reports out of sight

To give the crew a project with nothing but clips in it, put the reports in a hidden folder, e.g. one named .metadata at the top of the project’s storage:

  • Finder doesn’t allow creating folders with names starting with a dot, so create the folder in your file transfer app, e.g. the one you use for Uploading to Oropod Storage, or with e.g. mkdir .metadata in Terminal.
  • Finder doesn’t show hidden files by default. Use Command-Shift-Period to toggle displaying hidden files.
  • Many file transfer apps hide them too, behind a setting such as Show Hidden Files.

Hidden files are not private

NB: Hidden files are not private or secret, only hidden. Authorised users can still see their contents.

In other words, hidden files are a convenience to keep a project or workspace tidy. Anyone with access to the project’s storage can still see and download them there, e.g. in Frame.io’s own web app. Don’t rely on them to keep information secret.

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