Files Disappearing

I have a strange issue that just started happening.

I have a hazel rule monitoring a parent folder on a synology drive where if files are dropped into any one of its subfolders the rule will rename the image to the name of the enclosing folder, add a tag and use automator to do a simple scale of the image. These changes are then synced to two iOS devices, a Mac and a windows computer. This has been working fine and does not cause any issue on apple devices. However, it causes the file to disappear on a windows device. I had created some simpler rules just to do some testing and rename some of the jpg files in the folder and as soon as Hazel touches the file it disappears on the windows device. Again, I have renamed and sync'd a few hundred files without issue until now. The only thing that has changed is that I have updated to macOS 10.15.4.

Just to be clear, the Windows device is the destination and not the source? Can you post your rule?

The folder being monitored resides on a Synology NAS that is connected to my Mac through SMB so I can see the share directly. A client app is install on two different iOS devices as well as a windows computer to keep all devices two way synced. The goal was that the iOS users could upload their images through the Synology apps on their phones to one of the subfolders of the monitored folder. Then when the mac is on Hazel would rename these files to the name of the enclosing folder with an increment value, add a tag, and run a simple Automator action to scale the image.

The goal is to simplify the creation and organization of a library of images for an e-commerce site. I have run the action on a few hundred files so far without issue. However, now I can watch an iOS device upload and image, see it sync to all of the other devices and as soon as Hazel matches the rule the file will disappear off of the windows device only.

I will have to wait until I am home from work this evening to post the actual rule.

However I did try a few simple tests. All of the files bring acted on are jpg’s and a simple if extension is jpg then add tag “complete” causes the file to disappear on the windows device.

I forgot to add that even though I can still see the files on Apple devices they will not reappear on the windows device if I make copies, move them out and back in etc. A brand new file will sync both ways without issue but any file that was touched by Hazel will not reappear.

Here is a screenshot of the original rule and automator workflow.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w3zq3nrqiobd37u/Screen%20Shot%202020-04-14%20at%207.30.51%20PM.png?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uk8xsooj1176fg2/Screen%20Shot%202020-04-14%20at%207.29.46%20PM.png?dl=0

So, the files are still there, but just not seen by Windows? This seems like an issue with the Synology NAS. Hazel can't really control that directly. Note that tags are a macOS only feature but I suspect it might be a bug with the NAS if that causes files to not be seen by Windows.

I have also tried rules to simply rename the file. No scaling, no tags etc. Since a jpg is a universal format I would expect it to rename without issue.

I was wondering if the windows computer has trouble dealing with the temporary state of the file while it is being worked on by Hazel. Would it make a difference if the file was sorted into a folder first and renamed so the computer sees it as a new entry and not a existing file modified in place? I hope that makes sense.

I just find it odd that it has worked for some time on multiple files and now the behaviour has changed.

Hard to say. What happens if you do all the steps manually?

I did make some changes to the rules to sort the file into a new subfolder so that the syncing app sees it like a new instance. However, I think the problem may have been that the app was set to not sync files with the prefix ".". The hazellock file was visible not he windows computer but not syncing. I apologize for thinking this may have been a hazel issue.