howdytom

UPDATE. In the meantime I have upgraded to macOS Sonoma 14.4.1. Indeed, it looks like a bug caused by the YubiKey security key. When a YubiKey is plugged in and you enter the Smart Card passcode into the macOS login screen, macOS Spotlight stops working. Searching in the System Preferences does not work anymore. It is impossible to find any files, folders and Emails in Apple Mail. Apple Mail search remains empty. Rebuilding and deleting Spotlight Index does not resolve the issue. As a result, Spotlight is somehow completely disabled. It makes no difference which USB-C port the YubiKey is connected to the Mac. 

It’s always happening using macOS Sonoma 14.4.1. I didn’t want to believe it is related to the YubiKey, but actually it is. It looks like Touch ID and security keys as alternative Login option will break Spotlight?! I have also opened an Apple Bug Report. 

Workaround: 
1. Unplug the YubiKey Security key before Login.
2. Log out of my user account or restart the Mac Studio. Make sure the YubiKey Security key is unplugged.
3. Login using my user account password
4. Spotlight is working again! Unplugging the YubiKey before login makes it useless

I hope this helps anyone who is experiencing the same Spotlight issue.

@Vero Thank for your reply. I have attached a diagnostic report before and after restart. It looks like somehow Indexing is randomly disabled on first startup?

Got it. so far I have not contacted Apple.

Starting Diagnostics...

File: 'IMG_2932.JPG'
Path: '/Volumes/Data/Downloads'

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check file cache database...

✅ File cache integrity is ok

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if file is readable...

✅ Alfred has permissions to read this file.

Unix Permissions: 384
Underlying Type: NSFileTypeRegular
Extended Attributes: (
    "com.apple.lastuseddate#PS"
)

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if volume '/Volumes/Data/' is indexed by macOS...

⚠️ Indexing may not be enabled on this drive

/System/Volumes/Data/Volumes/Data:
    Error: unknown indexing state.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check direct file metadata...

⚠️ Direct metadata is missing, this file is likely not indexed by macOS

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check mdls file metadata...

❌ macOS metadata missing essential items

/Volumes/Data/Downloads/IMG_2932.JPG: could not find /Volumes/Data/Downloads/IMG_2932.JPG.

-----------------------------------------------------------

❌ Troubleshooting failed

**After rebooting a second time, all files show up just fine. **

Starting Diagnostics...

File: 'IMG_2932.JPG'
Path: '/Volumes/Data/Downloads'

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check file cache database...

✅ File cache integrity is ok

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if file is readable...

✅ Alfred has permissions to read this file.

Unix Permissions: 384
Underlying Type: NSFileTypeRegular
Extended Attributes: (
    "com.apple.lastuseddate#PS"
)

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if volume '/Volumes/Data/' is indexed by macOS...

✅ Indexing is enabled on this drive

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check direct file metadata...

⚠️ Direct metadata is missing, this file is likely not indexed by macOS

Display Name: 
 Other Names: 
Content Type: 
   Last Used: 

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check mdls file metadata...

❌ macOS metadata missing essential items

kMDItemFSContentChangeDate = (null)
kMDItemFSCreationDate      = (null)
kMDItemFSCreatorCode       = ""
kMDItemFSFinderFlags       = (null)
kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon     = (null)
kMDItemFSInvisible         = 0
kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden = (null)
kMDItemFSIsStationery      = (null)
kMDItemFSLabel             = (null)
kMDItemFSName              = (null)
kMDItemFSNodeCount         = (null)
kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID      = (null)
kMDItemFSOwnerUserID       = (null)
kMDItemFSSize              = (null)
kMDItemFSTypeCode          = ""

-----------------------------------------------------------

❌ Troubleshooting failed
 

Anyone? Today it happened again.

Today, when I turned on my Mac Spotlight does not find any files and folders on my Data partition. When I reboot the Mac Spotlight and Alfred immediately is working again. What else can I do? I really appreciate any assistance.

• I followed along the Troubleshooting File Indexing Issues page.
• The Search Scope is set correctly
• I have performed a deeper reindex multiple times to no avail: Reindex macOS Metadata Index and Deleting the .Spotlight-V100 Folder
• Alfred diagnose still shows macOS metadata missing essential items. Spotlight randomly does not find any files on my Data partition . After rebooting a second time, all files show up just fine. 

Starting Diagnostics...

File: 'Data'
Path: '/Volumes'

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check file cache database...

✅ File cache integrity is ok

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if file is readable...

✅ Alfred has permissions to read this file.

Unix Permissions: 509
Underlying Type: NSFileTypeDirectory
Extended Attributes: (
    "purgeable-drecs-fixed"
)

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if volume '/' is indexed by macOS...

✅ Indexing is enabled on this drive

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check direct file metadata...

⚠️ Direct metadata is missing, this file is likely not indexed by macOS

Display Name: 
 Other Names: 
Content Type: 
   Last Used: 

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check mdls file metadata...

❌ macOS metadata missing essential items

-----------------------------------------------------------

❌ Troubleshooting failed
 

Just now, manusz said:

Are you saying that, when Spotlight looses track, Alfred can not find what you are searching for?

Exactly

Thanks. So far I haven't found a way to reproduce the issue. It is always happening when I am busy. Than I have to browse through the Finder window, which is very annoying.

Temporarily I unplugged the security key however the Spotlight Index issue still occurs randomly. I do not think it is related to Apple Watch or fingerprint sensor to sign in. It looks like a Ventura Bug in 13.6.1. 

Thank you for your reply. Indeed, I am using a security key to sign in. I will do some more testing.

Hi there,

I have noticed a strange behaviour, which occurs frequently since Alfred version 5.1.2 or 5.1.3 on macOS Ventura 13.6.1. When I turn on my Mac Spotlight does not find any files and folders on my Data partition. Spotlight shows files on the System partition, only. When I reboot the Mac Spotlight and Alfred immediately is working again. I did not change any settings! Somehow Spotlight is not triggered for non-system partitions. I tried to re-add the partition to the Search Scope and I also did a full macOS Metadata reindex multiple times to no avail. 

Is this known macOS Ventura or Alfred issue?

@Vero I really appreciate your great support. It is working like a charm, now! 

Anyways, I have noticed the icon changes once I lookup those folders a couple of times. 

These are local folders that are stored on a hard drive. Due to the fact that those folder end with a domain name e.g. .com, /.org / .de macOS somehow recognises them as com.apple.web-internet-location Content Type. Is there any workaround?

@Vero Thank you. I have checked multiple folders.

Starting Diagnostics...

File: 'mywebproject.com'
Path: '/Volumes/RAID/Sites'

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check file cache database...

✅ File cache integrity is ok

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if file is readable...

✅ Alfred has permissions to read this file.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if volume '/Volumes/RAID/' is indexed by macOS...

✅ Indexing is enabled on this drive

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check direct file metadata...

✅ Direct metadata available

Display Name: mywebproject.com
 Other Names: 
Content Type: com.apple.web-internet-location
   Last Used: 

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check mdls file metadata...

✅ Metadata contains required items

_kMDItemDisplayNameWithExtensions      = "mywebproject.com"
kMDItemContentCreationDate             = 2009-05-22 14:29:36 +0000
kMDItemContentCreationDate_Ranking     = 2009-05-22 00:00:00 +0000
kMDItemContentModificationDate         = 2022-05-08 16:06:50 +0000
kMDItemContentModificationDate_Ranking = 2022-05-08 00:00:00 +0000
kMDItemContentType                     = "com.apple.web-internet-location"
kMDItemContentTypeTree                 = (
    "com.apple.web-internet-location",
    "com.apple.internet-location",
    "public.stored-url",
    "public.data",
    "public.item"
)
kMDItemDateAdded                       = 2022-05-08 09:58:00 +0000
kMDItemDateAdded_Ranking               = 2022-05-08 00:00:00 +0000
kMDItemDisplayName                     = "mywebproject.com"
kMDItemDocumentIdentifier              = 0
kMDItemFSContentChangeDate             = 2022-05-08 16:06:50 +0000
kMDItemFSCreationDate                  = 2009-05-22 14:29:36 +0000
kMDItemFSCreatorCode                   = ""
kMDItemFSFinderFlags                   = 0
kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon                 = (null)
kMDItemFSInvisible                     = 0
kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden             = 0
kMDItemFSIsStationery                  = (null)
kMDItemFSLabel                         = 0
kMDItemFSName                          = "mywebproject.com"
kMDItemFSNodeCount                     = 7
kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID                  = 20
kMDItemFSOwnerUserID                   = 501
kMDItemFSSize                          = (null)
kMDItemFSTypeCode                      = ""
kMDItemInterestingDate_Ranking         = 2022-05-08 00:00:00 +0000
kMDItemKind                            = "web internet location"

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check file is in search scope...

✅ File exists within Alfred's default search scope

-----------------------------------------------------------

✅ Troubleshooting passed

Hi there,

I do have a bunch of folder names that end with a top-level domain. Using Simple Folder Search does not longer work in Big Sur.. When I create a new folder called crazyproject.com Alfred is able to find them, though. I have rebuild the MacOS metadata index a couple of times. Spotlight lists folder that end with a dot as Web Internet location. Do I have expand Alfreds File Filter Input metadata? Alfred built-in File Search Troubleshooting does not show any errors ✅  

What can I do?

Thanks

Is this workflow still compatible with Airmail 4?

Excellent. Thank you for reply.

Hi there,

I am looking for a workflow to delay or schedule email in Apple mail. Does Alfred provide a built-in workflow for that?

On 11/20/2018 at 10:58 AM, Andrew said:

Remove /System/Library/CoreServices/Applications from Alfred's Features > Default Results > Search Scope, then type 'reload' into Alfred to clear the cache.

@Andrew: Thank you for your reply. Clearing the Application cache resolved my issue. Adding /Applications and /Volumes/Data to my Search Scope works like a charm. Now Screen Sharing Core Service no longer shows up. Perfect! 

That's correct. I do not want to show System CoreServices in my search scope.

@deanishe Thank you for you reply.

How can I exclude System CoreServices? How can I prevent Alftred to search through application packages?

Did it work out for you? I am facing the same issue.

When I search for "t" or "sh", Alfred shows "About this Mac" in /System/Library/CoreServices/About this Mac.app or Screen Sharing in /System/Library/CoreServices/Screen Sharing.app. Search Scope is set to /Applications/ folder only. Why does Alfred still show various CoreServices?

Yes, I was already expecting that. I don't want to mess around with Third-Party Tools in SystemCore. Anyway. dfay, thanks for your reply.

When I click in the Spotlight icon it still loads Spotlight search. I am looking for a non-hacking way to link Spotlight menu bar icon with Alfred. Any workaround?

5 minutes ago, vitor said:

Can you be a bit more specific about what doesn’t work? Can you activate the Keyword and then it doesn’t unmount but it does shutdown, or what happens?

I see the Keyword has a required argument. Why?

Are you sure the name of your volume is correct?

You're right. There's no specific reason why the Keyword has a required argument. I've simply used the predefined setting.  Good news - It's working. The network volume is successfully unmounted when I select Keyword --> no Argument. Excellent. Thank you, Vitor.

thanks, Vitor. Good point. Delaying doesn't work neither. Here's the download to my workflow.

Download: alfred-shutdown-unmount-volume.zip

Thanks for your help.

Hi there,

I am trying to create a workflow that unmounts a AFP network volume before Shut Down. I am using diskutil unmount command. Here's my workflow which doesn't seem to correct. When I execute diskutil unmount on the command line, the volume is unmounted successfully. Can anyone help me out with this?

Language: bin/bash

diskutil unmount /Volumes/myvolume