solved Alfred Does Not See/Find/Open Bike Outliner Format Files

[effectivepull]

I recently started using the outlining app "Bike" on my Mac (Ventura OS). Files are saved in .bike format. 

 

Alfred cannot see any of these .bike files. Spotlight can find these same files.

 

I tried re-indexing Alfred but that didn't work. 

 

How can I fix this? Thanks!

[Stephen_C]

Go to Alfred Preferences and choose Help towards the bottom of the left column. Then run File Search troubleshooting and drop one of the .bike files into the opened window. Copy the output and then paste it into a new post in this thread so that we can see what is happening.

 

Stephen

[effectivepull]

Starting Diagnostics...

File: 'test bike file.bike'
Path: '/Users/scottwu/Desktop'

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

Check file cache database...

✅ File cache integrity is ok

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

Check if file is readable...

✅ Alfred has permissions to read this file.

Unix Permissions: 420
Underlying Type: NSFileTypeRegular
Extended Attributes: (
    "com.apple.lastuseddate#PS",
    "com.apple.macl",
    "com.apple.metadata:_kMDItemUserTags",
    "com.apple.metadata:kMDItemIdentifier",
    "com.apple.quarantine",
    "com.apple.TextEncoding"
)

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

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

✅ Indexing is enabled on this drive

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

Check direct file metadata...

✅ Direct metadata available

Display Name: test bike file
 Other Names: test bike file.bike
Content Type: com.hogbaysoftware.bike.xml
   Last Used: 2023-09-15 22:48:45 +0000

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

Check mdls file metadata...

✅ Metadata contains required items

_kMDItemDisplayNameWithExtensions  = "test bike file.bike"
kMDItemAlternateNames              = (
    "test bike file.bike"
)
kMDItemContentCreationDate         = 2023-09-07 15:43:52 +0000
kMDItemContentCreationDate_Ranking = 2023-09-07 00:00:00 +0000
kMDItemContentModificationDate     = 2023-09-14 16:22:27 +0000
kMDItemContentType                 = "com.hogbaysoftware.bike.xml"
kMDItemContentTypeTree             = (
    "com.hogbaysoftware.bike.xml",
    "public.html",
    "public.text",
    "public.data",
    "public.item",
    "public.content",
    "public.xml"
)
kMDItemDateAdded                   = 2023-09-16 13:07:56 +0000
kMDItemDisplayName                 = "test bike file"
kMDItemDocumentIdentifier          = 4495085
kMDItemFSContentChangeDate         = 2023-09-14 16:22:27 +0000
kMDItemFSCreationDate              = 2023-09-07 15:43:52 +0000
kMDItemFSCreatorCode               = ""
kMDItemFSFinderFlags               = 16
kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon             = (null)
kMDItemFSInvisible                 = 0
kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden         = 1
kMDItemFSIsStationery              = (null)
kMDItemFSLabel                     = 0
kMDItemFSName                      = "test bike file.bike"
kMDItemFSNodeCount                 = (null)
kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID              = 20
kMDItemFSOwnerUserID               = 501
kMDItemFSSize                      = 29498
kMDItemFSTypeCode                  = ""
kMDItemIdentifier                  = "KKWEQbrX"
kMDItemInterestingDate_Ranking     = 2023-09-15 00:00:00 +0000
kMDItemKind                        = "Bike"
kMDItemLastUsedDate                = 2023-09-15 22:48:45 +0000
kMDItemLastUsedDate_Ranking        = 2023-09-15 00:00:00 +0000
kMDItemLogicalSize                 = 29498
kMDItemPhysicalSize                = 32768
kMDItemUseCount                    = 2
kMDItemUsedDates                   = (
    "2023-09-15 07:00:00 +0000"
)

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

Check file is in search scope...

✅ File exists within Alfred's default search scope

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

Check MDQuery file search...

✅ macOS returned a match for this file in your search scope.

File Search Results for search scope (
    "[0] /System/Volumes/Data/Users/scottwu/Desktop/test bike file.bike"
)

File Search Results for ~/ (
    "[0] /System/Volumes/Data/Users/scottwu/Desktop/test bike file.bike"
)

File Search Results for / (
    "[0] /System/Volumes/Data/Users/scottwu/Desktop/test bike file.bike"
)

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

✅ Troubleshooting passed
 

[vitor]

How exactly are you searching for the files? E.g. are you using the open keyword? A screenshot of you searching may be helpful. Also, see Troubleshooting File Indexing Issues.

[effectivepull]

6 hours ago, vitor said:

How exactly are you searching for the files? E.g. are you using the open keyword? A screenshot of you searching may be helpful. Also, see Troubleshooting File Indexing Issues.

I invoke Alfred and type the name of the file until recognized. 

[vitor]

Just now, effectivepull said:

I invoke Alfred and type the name of the file until recognized.

 

See the troubleshooting link above. The first step is that you have to type open (or press space) to search for files.

[effectivepull]

2 hours ago, vitor said:

 

See the troubleshooting link above. The first step is that you have to type open (or press space) to search for files.

Typing “open” worked and I found the .bike file. Thank you. Question - Why do I have to type “open” for these files when I don’t for other file types and folders?

[vitor]

Just now, effectivepull said:

when I don’t for other file types and folders?

 

Because you likely checked those boxed in Alfred Preferences → Features → Default Results → Extras. You can make the bike files show up as well with the Advanced… button.

However, it’s recommended to have those off so the default search shows more relevant results. open (or pressing the spacebar) is the recommended method to find files.

[sepulchra]

@effectivepull if you find yourself searching for bike files all of the time you could also look into creating  a file filter. I have something similar setup for taskpaper files -- another great piece of software by the same developer of bike.