[Bug]: macOS VFS not updating folders and files

[AndyXheli]

⚠️ Before submitting, please verify the following: ⚠️

• [x] This is a bug, not a question or a configuration issue.
• [x] This issue is not already reported on Github (I've searched it).
• [x] Nextcloud Server and Desktop Client are up to date. See Server Maintenance and Release Schedule and Desktop Releases for supported versions.
• [x] I agree to follow Nextcloud's Code of Conduct

Bug description

Changed File Names from the web and none of the files are changing under the macOS VFS.

...

Steps to reproduce

1. Changing multiple folder names under web
2. Files name not syncing down to mac ...

Expected behavior

...

Which files are affected by this bug

all

Operating system

macOS

Which version of the operating system you are running.

15.6 (24G84)

Package

Official macOS 12+ universal pkg

Nextcloud Server version

31.0.7

Nextcloud Desktop Client version

3.17.0 RC1

Is this bug present after an update or on a fresh install?

Updated to a major version (ex. 3.3.6 to 3.4.0)

Are you using the Nextcloud Server Encryption module?

Encryption is Disabled

Are you using an external user-backend?

• [x] Default internal user-backend
• [ ] LDAP/ Active Directory
• [ ] SSO - SAML
• [ ] Other

Nextcloud Server logs

Additional info

No response

[jiehanzheng]

Bug appears to be still there for client: 3.17.1 and server: 31.0.7 (AIO)

notify_push was set up correctly.

[idressos]

We are facing the same issue.

Client Version: 4.0.1 Server Version: 31.0.10 macOS Version: 26 (Tahoe/M4 Air) Client Push Version: 1.2.1

Client push is set up correctly and verified to work.

Random files stored after a certain depth are sometimes not syncing to macOS VFS clients.

Example: /groupfolder/nest1/nest2/nest3/nest4/nest5/file.docx (dir depth = 5)

• In online operations, everything is updated immediately.
• Respectively, the changes are reflected immediately to Windows clients.
• The problem is only in one direction: Server --> macOS VFS client

Actual Behavior:

• If I create a file in the affected dir in the macOS VFS client, it is immediately created on the server.
  • If I create a file from another machine or in the web UI directly, it never syncs to the macOS VFS client
• If I rename/move/delete/modify the created file from anywhere else (server or other client), the changes are never reflected to the affected macOS VFS client.
• In the same affected folder, other files/directories may sync just fine! It only happens for specific files.
  • Some of those might be from the original first sync of the macOS VFS. I can't know this information due to a very large instance with many users.

In general, VFS is turning out to be very difficult when dealing with a large Nextcloud instance. Ours is ~10TB.

Important notes:

• The root directory of the path is a group folder, not regular folder
• The path contains "special" characters: ()_'/.
• The path contains spaces
• The total length (char count) of the path is:
  • 142 characters including the file name
  • 90 characters without the file name
• Above mentioned special characters/spaces are present also in the final file name in the path
• Windows filename restrictions are NOT enabled on the Nextcloud instance
• This cannot be replicated/it doesn't happen with Windows clients. Same affected files in Windows PCs are synced just fine.

[deajan]

Same here:

Client Version: 4.0.1 Server Version: 31.0.8 macOS Version: 15 (Sequoia)

The folder structure of MacOS vfs clients does not update randomly here too (ie create a new folder on client A, nextcloud web interface shows folder, but client B doesn't unless I force a VFS resync). MacOS non vfs clients as well as Windows machines update without any trouble. Contrary to @idressos , Windows filename restrictions are enabled on my instance.

@i2h3 Do you by any chances have an idea here ? Thanks for any insight.

[deajan]

Updated to daily client 4.1.0 alpha from 20251118, updated server to 32.0.1. Looks like latest alpha client works, at least two folders created appear a couple of minutes later. I will have more testing done tomorrow. @idressos Could you perhaps install latest dev client from here and tell me whether it works out for you ?

[deajan]

So far my tests (on 2 macs with OS v15 Sequoia) are successful, new folders appear on other macs. I have yet to see whether this behavior is stable in time.

[idressos]

Updated to daily client 4.1.0 alpha from 20251118, updated server to 32.0.1. Looks like latest alpha client works, at least two folders created appear a couple of minutes later. I will have more testing done tomorrow. @idressos Could you perhaps install latest dev client from here and tell me whether it works out for you ?

I tested the 20251119 client and the issue persists. Additionally, some further tests revealed more concerning issues..

1. Through the web UI, inside the affected folder, I created subfolder named 'test1'.

• Change was never reflected on the client side ❌

2. On the client-side, inside the affected folder, I created subfolder named 'test2'.

• Change was immediately reflected on the server side ✅

3. On the client-side, I created another subfolder 'test3'.
4. I deleted all test1, test3, and test3 subfolders inside the affected folder.
5. I checked in the web UI... the whole affected subfolder was deleted!

I also noticed, since updating to NC 32, files deleted from BOTH Windows and macOS clients have a weird suffix in their name.

It's starting to seem like the issue is in the sync logic.

EDIT: For NC devs looking into this, I'm willing to privately share the full path or even a video demostrating the issue.

[deajan]

Noticed the same suffixes too.

[i2h3]

Me and the rest of the desktop client team has not seen names like this yet. 🤔

[idressos]

Remember this is all happening inside group folders (at least for me).

[deajan]

So I actually still got the same issue on 4.1.0 alpha from 20251118, VFS files don't get updated after a while.

Running nextcloud client again (closing and reopening), VFS files will get updated to reflect what's visible on the webUI. After that, files created on another computer will get updated in a couple of seconds too.

The problem is that after awhile (cannot say specifically how much time), files won't get updated anymore, and VFS files seem out of sync with nextcloud server. I am willing to share details too if needed.

[idressos]

So I actually still got the same issue on 4.1.0 alpha from 20251118, VFS files don't get updated after a while.

Running nextcloud client again (closing and reopening), VFS files will get updated to reflect what's visible on the webUI. After that, files created on another computer will get updated in a couple of seconds too.

The problem is that after awhile (cannot say specifically how much time), files won't get updated anymore, and VFS files seem out of sync with nextcloud server. I am willing to share details too if needed.

I have noticed there are two cases in which the VFS desynchronizes from the server:

• When resuming from suspended state (closed --> open lid) on Macbook, after leaving client open
• At completely random times, without suspending or going into any kind of power saving mode
  • Macbook: clamshell mode, connected to power, or screen always-on
    • all other processes continue as usual in background, except for NC
  • Mac Mini or iMac are always connected to power anyways and don't have the same power saving mechanisms as Macbook

[deajan]

@idressos Interesting findings indeed, which would totally corroborate the issues I'm seeing, which only happens on mac laptops in my case.

[deajan]

I think I can add something to "the mix". I have files that litteraly dissapear under my eyes, ie they aren't shown in the VFS hierarchy anymore, but are still present on NC webui. I can restart NC client or restart the whole Mac, the file won't show up again, and client states that everything is synced. The only way to get the file to show again is to retrigger a full VFS sync.

Any ideas perhaps ? Any logs I could provide to help the devs ?

[idressos]

Client version 4.0.3 shows a general improvement. Some folders which were never syncing (no matter what) have finally appeared on the client after resetting VFS environment. Others still haven't appeared. Will keep monitoring.

[AndyXheli]

I think I can add something to "the mix". I have files that litteraly dissapear under my eyes, ie they aren't shown in the VFS hierarchy anymore, but are still present on NC webui. I can restart NC client or restart the whole Mac, the file won't show up again, and client states that everything is synced. The only way to get the file to show again is to retrigger a full VFS sync.

Any ideas perhaps ? Any logs I could provide to help the devs ?

I've seen the same behavior too

[deajan]

Currently experimenting with Mountainduck Nextcloud client to see if I can at least have a bridge (eg working solution) while Nextcloud desktop MacOS VFS support gets into a usable state. Btw, I heard that Owncloud desktop client sunsets MacOS VFS support, looks not easy at all to implement.

@i2h3 Sorry to ping you again for this. Do you have any idea if 4.1 series will have a solid MacOS vfs implementation, or is there still too much work to have some foresight for this ? Thank you for your efforts.

[AndyXheli]

Same nothing has update on the macOS folders files On the web

On macOS VFS

[deajan]

Anyone yet tried mountainduck as nextcloud VFS client ? So far, I couldn't find any big issues (but then again, it's not in production). Looks like it comes with it's own VFS implementation instead of relying on a MacOS API, and the product has existed for almost a decade.

[AndyXheli]

yup i've used them in the past seemed to work well for me

[AndyXheli]

Just wanted to add that I unchecked and rechecked Enable Virtual files and everything got updated.