Get Info on a folder displays WRONG number of items

[leoclark]

I am desperate. I work with TV / Film and I copy huge amounts of data and files to and from external drives and I normally use Get Info to check the number of items and make sure the copies are exactly the same.

Since OS X 10.7.2 the numbers I get from 2 exact copies ARE DIFFERENT!
Sometimes it takes a minute and the number is updated, but sometimes it is REALLY wrong. I open the folder, count the files manually and the number on the Get Info dialog is simply WRONG. Even with like 17 files only.

Please help!
Thanks.

Leo

 

[Partron22]

Finder can be abysmally in slow updating its numbers.
Perhaps 10.7.3 fixes that, I haven't checked yet.
see also for related:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1312526/

 

[heisenberg123]

I am desperate. I work with TV / Film and I copy huge amounts of data and files to and from external drives and I normally use Get Info to check the number of items and make sure the copies are exactly the same.

Since OS X 10.7.2 the numbers I get from 2 exact copies ARE DIFFERENT!
Sometimes it takes a minute and the number is updated, but sometimes it is REALLY wrong. I open the folder, count the files manually and the number on the Get Info dialog is simply WRONG. Even with like 17 files only.

Please help!
Thanks.

Leo

you might now this but when you delete something from an external you have to empty trash to get accurate reading on remaining external drive info

 

[dknightd]

this might help

http://www.soderhavet.com/refresh/

Note: I have not tried it yet - just happened to run across is the other day. No affiliation, try at your own risk . . .

If you do try it, let us know if it fixes your problem/

 

[leoclark]

Thanks a lot guys!!
Unfortunately the problem is still happening.
I've tried the refresh folder app, but nothing.
I am staring at a folder on my internal disk with 24 files, but Get Info insists that it has 25 files.
I will update to 10.7.3 soon and post a new reply.
Cheers!

 

[ljonesj]

its probably counting some of the hidden folders like ./ds*/ folder

 

[heisenberg123]

its probably counting some of the hidden folders like ./ds*/ folder

thats a very good guess

OP if your not familiar with how to show/hide hidden files using terminal

here is a youtube video of some guy that made a simple program that toggles hidden files on and off


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRoGXEksMjY

 

[Partron22]

Finder only shows .DS_Store in filecount at bottom of window when you make the file visible.
Here's an AppleScript that'll let you test that out:

set buttonpressed to button returned of (display dialog "Show Hidden Files?" buttons {"Yes", "No"})

try
	if the buttonpressed is "No" then do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles OFF"
	if the buttonpressed is "Yes" then do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles ON"
	do shell script "killall Finder"
end try

 

[leoclark]

I have tried the show hidden files option, but finder does not include the hidden file (ds*) on the file count. The particular folder I was looking at is now actually right. This problem is very inconsistent. It seems that if I leave the Get Info dialog window open, it will sometimes correct itself after a long time.
I will try the OS upgrade soon.

 

[Partron22]

The particular folder I was looking at is now actually right.

So sluggish Finder action is probably the culprit here.
I'm on 10.7.3 and haven't noticed the problem since updating, but as you say, it's an inconsistent thing, and I'm not doing a lot of copying and moving just now.

 

[leoclark]

It is really hard to believe. I upgraded to 10.7.3.
It seemed as if it was ok, but it is not, maybe a little better.
But one thing is for sure: I NEVER had this with 10.6.8 on my laptop.
Anyway, thanks a lot everyone.

PS. One more question: Do you guys know if people from Apple read this forum?
I would be ashamed to be part of an OS team that screws something that was working well before and says nothing about it.

 

[dysamoria]

Well that was never fixed by 10.13.6 ... 🙄