Data loss when moving groups between databases

Does a toolbar search for kind:PDF find anything in this database? There are actually 2422 PDF documents in it.

It has opened the full folder structure after Com-Rā€¦ cant understand this

And whatā€™s the location of the structure? In the root (top level) of the database? A screenshot of the sidebar showing the fully expanded new database might be useful.

Hi,
I just copied a DB to a new empty one since it wasnā€™t syncing properly and lost all of my complicated group structure, I just saw a list of files. I found this topic while trying to solve the issue, did as instructed; selected an item in the list and pressed Command-R then everything was sorted into the correct groups which had returned as if by magic!! Big sigh of relief but why did it work? What does Command-R do and why couldnā€™t I see the groups before?
Thanks

It is not possible to comment without seeing the behavior or knowing what you were specifically looking at.

Command-R is the reveal command so it would just show the item in its location in the database. There is no other magic to the command than that :wink:

Sorry I donā€™t get it. Why ā€œin its location in the databaseā€? I copied a set of hierarchical groups into a new blank database but after copying only saw an ungrouped list of the 1,300 or so pdfs in a list within ā€˜All PDF Documentsā€™. All of my groups had disappeared. I donā€™t understand how they came to be put back into their groups by reveal? I hadnā€™t hidden anything. I am confused. The issue was that one copy of the local sync store DB syncā€™ed ok but the other would only take updates but not deliver them. Iā€™ve sorted that now by copying to the blank database and back again so everything works fineā€¦ but this group issue?

That is a smart list that only shows the results of the search for PDF type files. That is what you were seeing at first. Reveal showed you the hierarchy as you copied it.

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As @SlickSlack correctly noted, you were looking at a smart group. Then you revealed a file from the smart rule and it showed the file in its actual location.

Ah ok thank you; so when I copied the files in their group structure across they became hidden for some reason. Not sure why but who cares now. Iā€™ll remember command-r in future thanks both

No problem :slight_smile: