Apple - How to view Root directory and subdirectories in Finder?

Shift-Command-G in Finder brings up a "Go to folder" dialog. Type in the name of the directory, for example, /usr/local. Finder will show the directory. I use this with Finder in 'View as Columns'

While this doesn't give a browsable directory from the root directory down, I've found it quite useful.

Enter in Terminal:

sudo chflags nohidden directoryname

Whereby directory name is the name of the directory that you want to see in Finder.

Reverse this by typing:

sudo chflags hidden directoryname

The Macintosh HD basically resembles the root directory. If you want it to appear on the desktop and in finder change this in the finder preferences.

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Showing all files in Finder

Type in the terminal

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

Then log out and back in.

The problem with using sudo chflags nohidden / is that it will unhide the root directory (which is already visible)... but you want to unhide particular folders that are inside the root directory. Which is why sudo chflags -R nohidden /* will work.

But that will make everything in the root directory visible.

Personally, I didn't want to make everything visible, just the /usr directory.

So I used sudo chflags nohidden /usr