Automatic md file deletion

[oplatechie]

Issue

I am using Obsidian sync and Files are getting deleted randomly since yesterday

[dawni]

Are any of the notes actually missing/deleted?

The log you showed looks like they’re paired:
Deleting note 1.md
Accepted note 1.md

… which would seem to mean the note was updated.

[CawlinTeffid]

Are the deletions all coming from the same device? (The log should say which device.)

Do you still see the files when you look at the vault folder outside of Obsidian? Maybe a system update switched on OneDrive or iCloud for your Documents folder and it started offloading files.

@dawni

The log you showed looks like they’re paired:
Deleting note 1.md
Accepted note 1.md

I think “Accepted” just means the change was applied to the vault or something. I tested a deletion and saw the same pair.

[dawni]

Thanks, CawlinTeffid.

Apologies, oplatechie.

I was even more unhelpful when I first replied until realizing I was mixing up the “Downloading”-“Accepted” pair with what you are seeing. I quickly edited but should have just deleted or not jumped in at all.

Good luck.

[CawlinTeffid]

In fairness it’s an unclear aspect of the log.

[oplatechie]

Hi @CawlinTeffid @dawni Thannks for jumping in here to help.

For the log, each file had 4 entries (deleted > accepted > Fully synced > Server pushed(deleted or renamed)
In my case it was deleted.

Yes, the deletion was triggered from one device(desktop).

I reached to sync support. and they said that for mac, vault cant be in ~/Documents or ~/Downloads

Switch to Obsidian Sync - Obsidian Help has more details.

I did not understand though why this happens(and it happened to me after being using obsidian sync for quite some time)

[dawni]

Sorry that was happening to you.

@oplatechie

I did not understand though why this happens

From what you described, it sounds like your Documents and Downloads folders are synced by iCloud. iCloud frees up space on your desktop by storing your files on their servers and removing the files from your computer The files look like they’re on your computer, but they’re not. When you click a file to open it, that’s when iCloud sends the file to your computer.

So when Obsidian saw that files were gone from the computer, it synced their status as deleted.

There are usually ways to keep the files on your device. But it could be more straightforward to simply move the vault to a folder that isn’t under the influence of iCloud—which is probably why support recommended that.

[CawlinTeffid]

What Dawni said. Occasionally users dont realize those folders are controlled by iCloud. It’s possible to turn that off, but I hear there are occasional reports of it switching itself back on (presumably after a system update), so I think support recommends avoiding those folders just to be absolutely sure.

[oplatechie]

Thank you @CawlinTeffid and @dawni for the simple and clear explanation!