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File Search question (Completely revised as of 19:45 BST)


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Alfred 4.1.1 + Powerpack

macOS 10.14.6 

Alfred and presumably Spotlight have been working perfectly since I did a major disk clean up a couple of years ago 😉

 

I have bunch of files stored in a folder structure, the root of which is `/Volumes/OS2/Bitwig/Library/Presets/Bitwiggers`. On a fairly regular basis I need to check whether a newly downloaded file is already present so I can disregard it.

 

The aforementioned folder has a number of sub-folders which I would like searched at all times. Essentially I just want to be able to type 'bw <preset name>' and get some kind of confirmation as to whether the file exists already.

 

I looked at basing my solution on Vero's "Dynamic File Search" workflow example but that seems to have an extra step that I don't need. I'm guessing that I need just one File Filter object. If I type 'bw' the workflow starts with the prompt "Search folders for '...'", but as soon as I type <space> followed by my search text' I just see my Fallback web search options displayed.

 

This is the Basic Setup of my File Filter object...

 

Screenshot 2020-10-19 at 20.41.29.png

 

Followed by the Scope...

 

I've also added `/Volumes/OS2` to the Search Scope under the Default Results settings. This didn't help.

 

Screenshot 2020-10-19 at 20.43.46.png

 

UPDATE...

 

I've just dragged a preset file to the User Defined file settings. This has resulted in several '.bwpreset' files being displayed as soon as I type 'bw' but unfortunately from other unwanted places on `/Volumes/OS2`. Plus I've still got the problem of the Fallback web option taking over the results.

 

Screenshot 2020-10-19 at 20.56.27.png

 

It feels like there's just one critical piece of understanding which is not registering in my brain.

 

Please, can anyone help me discover what that is 🙏😀

 

Ive been right through the tutorial page on https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/inputs/file-filter/ and as far as I can see I'm not doing anything radically different.

 

 

Edited by carlcaulkett
Basis for original question was invalid!
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  • carlcaulkett changed the title to File Search question (Completely revised as of 19:45 BST)

@carlcaulkett Alfred should only show files within the scope you set for that file filter, so I'm wondering if you have multiple (possibly less relevant) file filters also returning results.

 

To make the following suggestion easier, rename the filter (in your first screenshot) to something like "Search for Bitwig files", then type bw into Alfred, and actually select the filter placeholder "Search for Bitwig files". This will then limit all results in Alfred to your subsequent type query for that filter.

 

If you see the fallback searches after this, it's because there are no matching files being returned to Alfred.

 

Also, perhaps share your workflow so I can take a look :) 

 

Cheers,

Andrew

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@Andrew Thanks for the reply! I tried exporting my errant workflow but it seems that I cannot attach it to this message. How do I share the workflow with you?

 

I can't even attach images to this message at the moment - I'm getting some kind of server error from your end. Hopefully you can see this image - I'm using https://imgbb.com

 

Screenshot-2020-10-20-at-11-08-45.png

 

As you can see I've only got two other workflows running, the triggers for which as 'd' and 'ff' respectively. 

 

It also demonstrates the fact that despite my having specified `/Volumes/OS2/Bitwig/Library/Presets/Bitwiggers` as the scope, files from a different folder are being returned.

 

UPDATE: 

 

I've tried sharing the exported workflow via https://gofile.io - here's the download link https://gofile.io/d/mjPxG3.

 

I suppose if nothing else, the fact that I'm seeing some 'bwpreset' files does show that the OS2 volume is being indexed by Spotlight...

 

Cheers,

Carl

Edited by carlcaulkett
Typo
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Jus for the avoidance of doubt, the only way I can get '.bwpreset' files in any location is to drag a file to the User Defined file settings as shown in the third image in the first post. This results in files from the folder '/Volumes/OS2/Bitwig Packages/Installed Bitwig Packs/1.0/presets/Bitwig/Evolving Sounds and Sequences' being displayed'.

 

Note that there are many other folders sharing the same parent folder containing '.bwpreset' files, but these are not displayed. 

 

Note also that only a subset of the files in '/Volumes/OS2/Bitwig Packages/Installed Bitwig Packs/1.0/presets/Bitwig/Evolving Sounds and Sequences' are displayed'.

 

I hope that this doesn't mean that my Spotlight index is borked. The last time I did a full index rebuild, a couple of years ago, after chatting with @deanishethings got immeasurably worse (I'm not blaming @deanisheby the way, I think it was my overfull disk drives!).

 

I read that with earlier versions of macOS, it was possible to add files and folders to the Spotlight index, but that this is not possible under Mojave, Progress, huh? 🤷‍♂️ 

 

Cheers,

Carl

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1 minute ago, carlcaulkett said:

Jus for the avoidance of doubt, the only way I can get '.bwpreset' files in any location is to drag a file to the User Defined file settings as shown in the third image in the first post.

 

No, the third image shows the settings for Alfred’s default results.


You configure the File Filter in the screen shown in the first image of the post. Drag one of your .bwpreset files to the File Types list (and remove public.folder).

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4 minutes ago, deanishe said:

No, the third image shows the settings for Alfred’s default results.


You configure the File Filter in the screen shown in the first image of the post. Drag one of your .bwpreset files to the File Types list (and remove public.folder).

 

Okay. I have removed the default results setting, and I have done as you say on the File Filter configuration. I've also followed @Andrew's suggestion...

"To make the following suggestion easier, rename the filter (in your first screenshot) to something like "Search for Bitwig files", then type bw into Alfred, and actually select the filter placeholder "Search for Bitwig files". This will then limit all results in Alfred to your subsequent type query for that filter."

 

No sign of 'bwpreset' files whatsoever 🤷‍♂️

 

1760848372_Screenshot2020-10-20at15_22_07.png.c3809d1b57ec02ac5ea1aab3c7a6babe.png

 

I've also tried it with "Search folders for '{query}'" as the Placeholder Title. Either way none of the files I want are displayed and it just goes to the Fallback web search options.

 

Cheers,

Carl

 

 

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Just now, carlcaulkett said:

No sign of 'bwpreset' files whatsoever 🤷‍♂️

 

It’s right there. That’s the type your system assigns to .bwpreset files. The decoded representation on the right means “file extension is ‘bwpreset’”.

 

Try dragging a few other .bwpreset files from different folders into the File Types list. Especially from folders whose files aren't being found. dyn. filetypes are often a sign that your application/filetype registry isn’t correct.

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12 minutes ago, deanishe said:

It’s right there. That’s the type your system assigns to .bwpreset files. The decoded representation on the right means “file extension is ‘bwpreset’”.

 

No, I meant no sign of .bwpreset files in the results! I understand how the system type works.

 

I've tried dragging .bwpreset files from lots of different folders. They all see to have the same system type, and as such, cannot be added to the list - no error, the entry is just not added. 

Edited by carlcaulkett
Typos.
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4 minutes ago, carlcaulkett said:

No, I meant no sign of .bwpreset files in the results! I understand how the system type works.

 

Right, sorry. I got the wrong end of the stick.

 

I can see from one of your screenshots that Alfred finds the .bwpreset files when you add the type to your defaults.


Does your File Filter find no results for any query? You know a File Filter doesn’t show any results without a query, right?

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In any case, I've done the unthinkable and adapted my non-Alfred workflow to suit the situation. Before, I had lots of sub-folders named by download date. Now I've consolidated all the .bwpreset files therein to the parent `/Volumes/OS2/Bitwig/Library/Presets/Bitwiggers` folder. Then with a symbolic link named 'bw' in my home folder, I can now activate Alfred with '~bw' and get instant access to the files 😀

 

It just seems a shame that I couldn't get a workflow-based solution to work. I'll go away and study the tutorials further on issues which are not so pressing 😉

 

Cheers,

Carl

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1 minute ago, deanishe said:

I can see from one of your screenshots that Alfred finds the .bwpreset files when you add the type to your defaults.

 

 

No the files displayed were not from the specified folder and only came about when I added the file type to the default file types in the third image of my original post.

 

3 minutes ago, deanishe said:

Does your File Filter find no results for any query? You know a File Filter doesn’t show any results without a query, right?

 

I tried with both "Search for Bitwig files" as the Placeholder Title, as per @Andrew's suggestion, and with "Search folders for '{query}'", which is what I think you are suggesting. Neither of them yield any results...

 

Cheers,

Carl

 

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14 minutes ago, carlcaulkett said:

which seemed to suggest that what I was doing was sufficient.

 

The configuration looks correct, but I think you might be misunderstanding the way File Filters work. From your post above, I got the impression that you think it's your File Filter showing the results in this screenshot:

 

Screenshot-2020-10-20-at-11-08-45.png

 

It isn't. All those are Alfred's default search results for the query "bw", not items returned by your File Filter.

 

It's sitting at the top waiting for you to enter a query. A File Filter must have a search query (i.e. you need to enter bw blah into Alfred to run it).

Edited by deanishe
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13 minutes ago, deanishe said:

It's sitting at the top waiting for you to enter a query. A File Filter must have a search query (i.e. you need to enter bw blah into Alfred to run it).

 

As soon as I do that, it reverts back to the fallback web search options... as soon as I type anything following "bw "...

 

1268577424_Screenshot2020-10-20at16_45_31.png.307e313f691ec6b7192cd1ab41bd3606.png

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