diff --git a/docs/html/File.html b/docs/html/File.html
index 86102b6..f9f6460 100644
--- a/docs/html/File.html
+++ b/docs/html/File.html
@@ -198,6 +198,11 @@ <h5><a href="#initialize">initialize</a></h5>
 <ul>
 <li><code>path</code> - The initial directory path</li>
 <li><code>shortcuts</code> - The list of shortcuts containing keybindings and actions for the file entity</li>
+<li><code>options</code> - A table containing various options that configures the file instance<ul>
+<li><code>showHiddenFiles</code> - A flag to display hidden files in the file selection modal. Defaults to <code>false</code></li>
+<li><code>sortAttribute</code> - The file attribute to sort the file selection list by. File attributes come from <a href="http://www.hammerspoon.org/docs/hs.fs.html#dir">hs.fs.dir</a>. Defaults to <code>modification</code> (last modified timestamp)</li>
+</ul>
+</li>
 </ul>
 <p>Each <code>shortcut</code> item should be a list with items at the following indices:</p>
 <ul>
diff --git a/docs/markdown/File.md b/docs/markdown/File.md
index a4b8fd9..f09bec3 100644
--- a/docs/markdown/File.md
+++ b/docs/markdown/File.md
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ File class that subclasses [Entity](Entity.html) to represent some directory or
 | **Signature**                               | `File:initialize(path, shortcuts)`                                                                    |
 | **Type**                                    | Method                                                                     |
 | **Description**                             | Initializes a new file instance with its path and custom shortcuts. By default, a cheatsheet and common shortcuts are initialized.                                                                     |
-| **Parameters**                              | <ul><li>`path` - The initial directory path</li><li>`shortcuts` - The list of shortcuts containing keybindings and actions for the file entity</li></ul> |
+| **Parameters**                              | <ul><li>`path` - The initial directory path</li><li>`shortcuts` - The list of shortcuts containing keybindings and actions for the file entity</li><li>`options` - A table containing various options that configures the file instance</li><li>  `showHiddenFiles` - A flag to display hidden files in the file selection modal. Defaults to `false`</li><li>  `sortAttribute` - The file attribute to sort the file selection list by. File attributes come from [hs.fs.dir](http://www.hammerspoon.org/docs/hs.fs.html#dir). Defaults to `modification` (last modified timestamp)</li></ul> |
 | **Returns**                                 | <ul><li>None</li></ul>          |
 
 | [move](#move)         |                                                                                     |
diff --git a/spec/file.spec.lua b/spec/file.spec.lua
index 7a7585c..6a31415 100644
--- a/spec/file.spec.lua
+++ b/spec/file.spec.lua
@@ -73,11 +73,26 @@ local function initializeTests()
         {
             name = "creates a file entity instance",
             args = { "~/.vimrc" },
+            absolutePath = "/Users/test/.vimrc",
         },
         {
-            name = "creates a file entity instance",
+            name = "creates a directory file entity instance",
             args = { "~/Downloads" },
-            isDirectory = true,
+            absolutePath = "/Users/test/Downloads",
+            getAttributes = function() return { mode = "directory" } end,
+        },
+        {
+            name = "notifies on invalid file path error",
+            args = { "~/.vimrc" },
+            absolutePath = nil,
+            notifiesError = true,
+        },
+        {
+            name = "notifies on get file attributes error",
+            args = { "~/.vimrc" },
+            getAttributes = function() return error("Unable to get file attributes") end,
+            absolutePath = "/Users/test/.vimrc",
+            notifiesError = true,
         },
     }
 
@@ -87,16 +102,21 @@ local function initializeTests()
             local mockHs = hammerspoonMocker()
             local file = require("file")
             local mockFs = {
-                attributes = function() return { mode = test.isDirectory and "directory" } end,
-                pathToAbsolute = function() end,
+                attributes = test.getAttributes or function() return { mode = "file" } end,
+                pathToAbsolute = function() return test.absolutePath end,
             }
 
             _G.hs = mock(mockHs({ fs = mockFs }))
 
+            file.notifyError = spy.new(function() end)
             file.mergeShortcuts = function() end
             file:initialize(table.unpack(test.args))
 
-            assert.are.same(file.path, test.args[1])
+            if test.notifiesError then
+                assert.spy(file.notifyError).was.called(1)
+            else
+                assert.are.same(file.path, test.args[1])
+            end
         end)
     end
 end
diff --git a/src/file.lua b/src/file.lua
index fbec15f..95ae5d6 100644
--- a/src/file.lua
+++ b/src/file.lua
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ File.behaviors = Entity.behaviors + {
 --- Parameters:
 ---  * `path` - The initial directory path
 ---  * `shortcuts` - The list of shortcuts containing keybindings and actions for the file entity
+---  * `options` - A table containing various options that configures the file instance
+---    * `showHiddenFiles` - A flag to display hidden files in the file selection modal. Defaults to `false`
+---    * `sortAttribute` - The file attribute to sort the file selection list by. File attributes come from [hs.fs.dir](http://www.hammerspoon.org/docs/hs.fs.html#dir). Defaults to `modification` (last modified timestamp)
 ---
 --- Each `shortcut` item should be a list with items at the following indices:
 ---  * `1` - An optional table containing zero or more of the following keyboard modifiers: `"cmd"`, `"alt"`, `"shift"`, `"ctrl"`, `"fn"`
@@ -67,9 +70,24 @@ File.behaviors = Entity.behaviors + {
 ---
 --- Returns:
 ---  * None
-function File:initialize(path, shortcuts)
+function File:initialize(path, shortcuts, options)
+    options = options or {}
+
     local absolutePath = hs.fs.pathToAbsolute(path)
-    local attributes = hs.fs.attributes(absolutePath) or {}
+
+    if not absolutePath then
+        self.notifyError("Error initializing File entity", "Path "..path.." may not exist.")
+        return
+    end
+
+    local success, value = pcall(function() return hs.fs.attributes(absolutePath) or {} end)
+
+    if not success then
+        self.notifyError("Error initializing File entity", value or "")
+        return
+    end
+
+    local attributes = value
     local isDirectory = attributes.mode == "directory"
     local openFileInFolder = self:createEvent(path, function(target) self.open(target) end)
 
@@ -117,6 +135,8 @@ function File:initialize(path, shortcuts)
     self.path = path
     self.shortcuts = mergedShortcuts
     self.cheatsheet = cheatsheet
+    self.showHiddenFiles = options.showHiddenFiles or false
+    self.sortAttribute = options.sortAttribute or "modification"
 
     local cheatsheetDescription = "Ki shortcut keybindings registered for file "..self.path
     self.cheatsheet:init(self.path, cheatsheetDescription, mergedShortcuts)
@@ -226,7 +246,6 @@ function File:showFileSelectionModal(path, handler)
     local parentPathRegex = "^(.+)/.+$"
     local absolutePath = hs.fs.pathToAbsolute(path)
     local parentDirectory = absolutePath:match(parentPathRegex) or "/"
-    local iterator, directory = hs.fs.dir(absolutePath)
 
     -- Add selection modal shortcut to open files with cmd + return
     local function openFile(modal)
@@ -235,11 +254,23 @@ function File:showFileSelectionModal(path, handler)
         handler(choice.filePath, true)
         modal:cancel()
     end
+    -- Add selection modal shortcut to toggle hidden files cmd + shift + "."
+    local function toggleHiddenFiles(modal)
+        modal:cancel()
+        self.showHiddenFiles = not self.showHiddenFiles
+
+        -- Defer execution to avoid conflicts with the prior selection modal that just closed
+        hs.timer.doAfter(0, function()
+            self:showFileSelectionModal(path, handler)
+        end)
+    end
     local navigationShortcuts = {
         { { "cmd" }, "return", openFile },
+        { { "cmd", "shift" }, ".", toggleHiddenFiles },
     }
     self.selectionModalShortcuts = self.mergeShortcuts(navigationShortcuts, self.selectionModalShortcuts)
 
+    local iterator, directory = hs.fs.dir(absolutePath)
     if iterator == nil then
         self.notifyError("Error walking the path at "..path)
         return
@@ -247,28 +278,45 @@ function File:showFileSelectionModal(path, handler)
 
     for file in iterator, directory do
         local filePath = absolutePath.."/"..file
+        local attributes = hs.fs.attributes(filePath) or {}
         local displayName = hs.fs.displayName(filePath) or file
+        local isHiddenFile = string.sub(file, 1, 1) == "."
+        local shouldShowFile = isHiddenFile and self.showHiddenFiles or not isHiddenFile
         local subText = filePath
 
-        if file == "." then
-            displayName = file
-            subText = absolutePath.." (Current directory)"
-            filePath = absolutePath
-        elseif file == ".." then
-            displayName = file
-            subText = parentDirectory.." (Parent directory)"
-            filePath = parentDirectory
+        if file ~= "." and file ~= ".." and shouldShowFile then
+            table.insert(choices, {
+                text = displayName,
+                subText = subText,
+                file = file,
+                filePath = filePath,
+                image = filePath and self.getFileIcon(filePath),
+                fileAttributes = attributes,
+            })
         end
-
-        table.insert(choices, {
-            text = displayName,
-            subText = subText,
-            file = file,
-            filePath = filePath,
-            image = filePath and self.getFileIcon(filePath),
-        })
     end
 
+    -- Sort choices by last modified timestamp and add current/parent directories to choices
+    table.sort(choices, function(a, b)
+        local value1 = a.fileAttributes[self.sortAttribute]
+        local value2 = b.fileAttributes[self.sortAttribute]
+        return value1 > value2
+    end)
+    table.insert(choices, {
+        text = "..",
+        subText = parentDirectory.." (Parent directory)",
+        file = "..",
+        filePath = parentDirectory,
+        image = self.getFileIcon(absolutePath),
+    })
+    table.insert(choices, {
+        text = ".",
+        subText = absolutePath.." (Current directory)",
+        file = ".",
+        filePath = absolutePath,
+        image = self.getFileIcon(absolutePath),
+    })
+
     self.showSelectionModal(choices, function(choice)
         if choice then
             handler(choice.filePath)