Alfred file search: sort by date?

[cstsoi]

I have noticed over the past few updates that when searching for a file using Alfred file search, the results now display alphabetically instead of having the most recent file first.  I think this might be related to the line in the most recent release notes: "Fix alphabetically sorting files in Alfred's File System navigation with APFS".

 

Is there a way to revert back to the previous behaviour of most recent files displayed first?  I liked this much better!  My apologies if this issue has already been raised.

[Andrew]

@cstsoi That fix relates to file system navigation browsing and filtering, not Alfred's default file search... Alfred's file search should be sorted and organised based on your usage. If you've recently updated to macOS High Sierra, you may find that macOS has reindexed itself and the results aren't showing in the most used order until you've had a chance to re-teach it.

 

If you create a new text file on your desktop (named something similar to an already existing file), then search for it, does it show at the top?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[johnnyxhuynh]

On 10/31/2017 at 1:23 PM, Andrew said:

If you create a new text file on your desktop (named something similar to an already existing file), then search for it, does it show at the top?

 

Hello, I am experiencing the same behavior as @cstsoi and performing the test quoted above does not show recent files saved to the desktop in the file search results. I have also recently tried Alfred Preferences > Advanced > Rebuild macOS Metadata to no avail.

 

Do you have any other recommendations?

 

Thank you!

Johnny

[Andrew]

@johnnyxhuynh I've just tested this on a fresh macOS 10.13 install with APFS, and when I create a new similar document on the desktop, it appears at the top with no internal Alfred knowledge, as expected. Is spotlight finding the new file you created?

 

Have you tried creating a new user account?

[johnnyxhuynh]

10 hours ago, Andrew said:

Is spotlight finding the new file you created?

 

Have you tried creating a new user account?

Yes, Spotlight finds it.

Yes, I just created a new user account on the Mac and Alfred still doesn't surface up the most recent files.

I'd also add that my files are stored on Dropbox. However, I created copies of test files onto iCloud Drive (under Documents) as well as onto a local directory on my hard drive. Alfred doesn't surface up the latest file from either of 3 sources. :-/ 

Edited November 6, 2017 by johnnyxhuynh

[johnnyxhuynh]

I've also re-installed Alfred to no avail. (I allowed Hazel to remove all the related files after deleting Alfred from the Applications folder.)

[Vero]

@johnnyxhuynh Could you please install the Metadata Tool and drag a file that Alfred doesn't show for you? Paste the output so we can take a look.

 

https://cachefly.alfredapp.com/tools/AlfredMetadataTool_v1.1.zip

 

Could you also give precise examples of what you're searching for in Alfred as a screenshot, as well as one of your default search results settings?

 

Cheers,
Vero

[johnnyxhuynh]

@Vero Does the Metadata Tool allow you to see the actual contents of a file? I'm concerned about confidentiality.

 

Also, please note, that Alfred does not show the most recent file at the top of the search results when I type the first few characters of the filename. If I make my search more specific down to the very specific filename, it WILL eventually turn up the file.

 

See attached examples of the search results I get when I search for "time", "time tracker", and "time tracker 201711" in an attempt to get the most recent version of this file that I update almost on a daily basis. At some point in the past — at least several months — I was able to simply type "time" and get the latest file I can open by pressing return on my keyboard.

 

Thanks for your assistance,

Johnny

[johnnyxhuynh]

It looks like I've reached a file upload limit on this thread, so here are Dropbox links to:

 

Alfred Preferences > Features > Default Results: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ofje96ob6auhpg/Alfred Default Results.png?dl=0

 

Alfred Preferences > Features > File Search: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pmdzxyhzuao2n1k/Alfred File Search.png?dl=0

 

Thanks again,

Johnny

[deanishe]

If you action the result you want a couple of times, Alfred should remember it and then it will be top result for that query.

[johnnyxhuynh]

@deanishe Is pressing the return key on my keyboard "actioning the result"? If so, I already do that multiple times a day after searching really specifically for my file (i.e., searching for the entire filename minus the extension "time tracker 201711") and then opening it.

[deanishe]

9 hours ago, johnnyxhuynh said:

Is pressing the return key on my keyboard "actioning the result"?

 

Yes. Alfred remembers what you action for each query, and moves that result to the top. Of course, it doesn't work if you action several different items for the same query.

[cstsoi]

Just an update that this problem seems to have fixed itself on my computer.  Not sure if it is a 10.13.2 thing, or if as you said the OS needed to finish indexing (though when I had first noticed the problem, it had been weeks since the installation of High Sierra).

[Andrew]

@cstsoi thanks for the update on this - the bug reports I had made to Apple were closed as fixed for 10.13.2, so it looks like the three issues I documented in our bug forum have now been fixed:

 

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[johnnyxhuynh]

@Andrew Thank you! File search results is working much better again.

[Gabriel_A]

Hi everybody,

I´ve got a similar problem. In the file navigation especially in the downloads folder the files are sorted by name not date.

How can I change this ? Thanks !

[Andrew]

@Gabriel_A the sorting options in navigation mode are from the little cog in the bottom right of Alfred's File System Navigation window.

 

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/features/file-search/#file-nav

[Gabriel_A]

Nice. But if I don´t have a Cog ? Only the "Show Preview Panel" Function

[Andrew]

@Gabriel_A the cog and sorting options were added in Alfred 4, I suspect you're still running Alfred 3. I can see you've already obtained your v4 license, so you'll need to update to Alfred 4 if you want this option.