Observations on Importing from a Watch Folder

[DrJJWMac]

I have a Watch Folder set up to import attachments to a Library. As near as I can tell, newly imported content is marked as a Hit. Great ... this helps to be able review the processing after the fact. But, one exception seems to apply. If the attachment reference already exists in the library, the newly imported attachment is added as an additional attachment but not marked as a Hit. It is also not renamed despite having the checkbox active at the configuration dialog.

Could this behavior be changed so that all new imports are marked as a Hit, even the ones that are directly attached to existing references? This will help in post-processing to avoid that importing from the Watch Folder simply keeps adding exactly the same file to an existing reference, thereby building up clutter in the attachment folder.

Perhaps also the fact that no renaming of the added attachment is done is a bug?

[Jon]

I'm not sure why you see that behavior, on several levels. References created when PDFs are imported from the watch folder are not made hits. The renaming does happen (a random number is added to disambiguate it), but not the way it should (it's the original name with a number added). I'll look into that.

If you want to keep track of newly imported PDFs for post-processing, you can do it in several ways. One is to configure it so they are imported to a certain group. Then you can deal wit them as they come in.

Or create a new smart sql group that finds attachments made in the last X period of time, maybe 1 hr. Or whatever you find useful.

Jon
Sonny Software

[DrJJWMac]

In my case, they are made Hits. I have them set to import to the group: All. I appreciate the useful suggestion to set up a specific group to collect imports from a Watch folder.

[Jon]

That didn't happen when I first tested, and it didn't when I tested just now. Clear the Hits list first (Hits menu) and try again. If it still happens for you I'll have to think about how that could be.

Jon
Sonny Software

[DrJJWMac]

I tested again and this time, the reference did not get marked to the Hit list. I will review in closer detail the set up on my system should an import also land in the Hit list in the future.

Thank you.

[DrJJWMac]

Test with this procedure.

* Open a Library that was created under the previous version of BE.
* Set a Watch Folder to Move the file and rename it. Point to a folder that is initially empty. Leave the move to group setting to All.
* Do not close the Library.
* Go to the Finder and put a PDF file into the Watch folder.
* Return to BE ... the PDF should disappear from the Watch folder at the Finder level.
--> discover that the file is imported and marked as Hit.

The import does not move to Hits after the first time.

[Jon]

Sorry, that's what I've always been doing. And I just tested again -- the reference is not marked (not a hit). Whatever is causing this to happen for you isn't doing any harm, I suggest we let it go.

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jon]

I had a sudden thought that maybe this was related to the "Import To Hits List" checkbox in the Import Reference dialog window. I ticked it and, in fact, I now see the imported reference is a hit. It doesn't happen if the reference is already in the library because the metadata aren't imported and the reference isn't new. But newly imported reference are placed in the hits list. I think that explains the behavior -- newly created reference with imported metadata are made hits. This can be enabled or disabled in the Import References dialog window, the one that appears when you import using the UI.

Jon
Sonny Software

[DrJJWMac]

Yes, I have this option checked in the Import References dialog. Perhaps you might include a similar checkbox at the import to Watch Folder configuration dialog so that Import References and Import to Watch Folder can operate separately in setting as Hit or not.

Glad this is now resolved! In the meantime, the use of a distinct import group is most useful.