File search in Sequoia

[Boatguy]

Ever since I installed Sequoia, Alfred is doing very poorly at finding files.

[Stephen_C]

Welcome to the forum.

 

I'm afraid you're going to have to provide us with more information than that in order for someone to help.

 

For example:

• Did you migrate from an older Mac or simply upgrade the OS on an existing one?
• How is Alfred doing "very poorly”? What files does it find and what files does it not find?
• Have you given time for Spotlight to complete indexing?

Stephen

[Boatguy]

For example, my bank statements are saved with a prefix of YYYY-MM abcde...  If I search for 2024-09, it lists nothing ,when there are in fact 8 documents that whose file name begins with 2024-09

[Stephen_C]

Take a look at this Alfred help page: Troubleshooting File Indexing Issues. Then run the troubleshooter in respect of a file that Alfred can't find and post the output here.

 

Stephen

[Boatguy]

Starting Diagnostics...

File: '2024-09 Fay Roth.PDF'
Path: '/Users/russ/Documents/Russ Data/Home Finance/Statements'

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

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.macl",
    "com.apple.provenance",
    "com.apple.quarantine"
)

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

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

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
 

[Boatguy]

I'm rebuilding per the instructions. However, it says bring up Spotlight to see the progress and when I do Spotlight doesn't show any activity, just the spotlight dialog box.

[Boatguy]

I initiated re-indexing, but there is no .Spotlight-V100 folder.

[Boatguy]

I checked the Spotlight privacy settings and it was empty.  I tried adding rMBP21SSD, then removing it, there is still no .Spotlight-V100 folder. It would appear that Spotlight is not working or has changed the way it works.

 

[Stephen_C]

I suggest you check

1. whether Spotlight is able to find any common file on your Mac;
2. if so whether Spotlight is now (i.e., after some time) able to find the files you've mentioned.

Let us know the results.

 

Stephen

[Boatguy]

Yes, it can.  And when I enter a character in the Spotlight search box, it shows an indexing progress bar which looks like it is about 1/3 completed.

[Stephen_C]

I suggest you wait until Spotlight has finished indexing and then try your original Alfred search again (and, should that search not work, repeat for the failed find the step you took in this post).

 

Stephen

[Boatguy]

OK, it's working now. FWIW, there is no .Spotlight file at the root of my internal disk.

 

Thanks,

Russ