Noodlesoft Forums

When using the counter attribute, is the number sequencing global to the folder, or filename-specific?

What I am trying to do is this:

1. add a file to the folder, named as "image_A.jpg"
2. have Hazel that file rename to "image_A-v01.jpg"
3. add a new file to the folder, again named "image_A.jpg"
4. have Hazel that file rename to "image_A-v02.jpg"

That part works fine.

Now let's say I add, in the same folder, a file named "image_B.jpg"

Will Hazel number is as "image_B-v01.jpg" (new numbering sequence), or "image_B-v03.jpg" (global folder sequence).

In other words, does Hazel do the sequence based on filename matching, or just look for the highest existing sequence number that matches the sequence pattern, and increment by one?

The reason I ask is that I am seeing results that match neither scenario, which is confusing. An added file got sequenced as "image_B-v04.jpg", even though there was no "image_B-v01.jpg" in the folder.

There was a file named "image_A-v02.jpg", which if the numbering sequence was global to the folder, I would have expected the renamed file to be "image_B-v03.jpg"

So it was not the result I was expecting either way.

The preferable result would be for the sequencing to apply to matching filenames. Separate sequencing only if the filenames are the same.

It's by folder, but there is currently an issue if you set the counter to always use the lowest numbered one. To be able to determine that, Hazel has to go by filename. So, in that case, it may appear by filename but that is a bug currently.

If you don't set it to choose the lowest value, it will always increase, since it can just store the last one doled out.

Mr_Noodle wrote:It's by folder, but there is currently an issue if you set the counter to always use the lowest numbered one. To be able to determine that, Hazel has to go by filename. So, in that case, it may appear by filename but that is a bug currently.

If you don't set it to choose the lowest value, it will always increase, since it can just store the last one doled out.

Odd, because I am seeing a new test folder with imageA_01.jpg and imageA_02.jpg both getting individually incremented in the same folder, with "Always increment" selected. Which was exactly what I wanted to happen.

So I end up with imageA_01-v01.jpg and imageA_02-v01.jpg

But it sounds like instead, I should be seeing them as imageA_01-v01.jpg and imageA_02-v02.jpg

Is my understanding correct?

I would really like to see the incrementing match the filename rather than the folder. I can't even think of a situation where I would want different files to all get sequential numbering.

My need is always the same: I work on successive PSD versions of a drawing (drawing01.psd, drawing02.psd, etc.), and then export .jpg versions for review (drawing01-v01.jpg, drawing01-v02.jpg; drawing02-v01.jpg, drawing02-v02.jpg etc.).

I usually keep these all in the same folder since they are all for the same project. Would be ideal to not have to sub-sort them.

Which part of those filenames is the counter?

There might be an issue with always increment. It does require setting an xattr on the folder and if that fails, it won't work. Maybe something along those lines is happening.

The counter is set to "always increment".

Example initial filename might be:

ProjectA-sketch.jpg

or

ProjectA-sketch-02.jpg

In Terminal, can you do 'xattr <directory>' where <directory> is the folder in question? You can drag it into the Terminal window to fill it in.

Hello! Related to this topic - is there a way to do a one-time reset back to 1 to the counter number used by Noodlesoft? In my use case, I am having Hazel add a sequential number to files dropped into a folder (and then moved OUT of the folder) for a certain amount of time, but occasionally, I'll need to re-start at 1. I don't think I can use "Use lowest available" because I've already moved files out of the folder. Thanks in advance.

"Use lowest available" should work, especially since you moved files out of the folder. If the files were still there, the lower numbers would be considered in use.