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When an instrument, an export job, or a pipeline drops files into a folder over time, you don’t want to re-open an upload dialog every time. A watched folder monitors a folder on your computer and uploads matching files to a collection automatically as they appear — no clicks per file. Watched folders are part of the desktop app. The app keeps watching while it’s open.
The Watched folders tab in the Dataerai desktop app, showing a folder being watched for .csv and .tif files.

A watched folder uploading matching files to a collection.

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Add a watched folder

1

Open the Watched folders tab

In the desktop app, switch from Transfers to Watched folders.
2

Choose the folder

Click Choose folder… and pick the folder on your computer to monitor.
3

Set the file types

Choose Extensions and list the extensions to match — for example .csv, .tif — or switch to Globs for path-aware patterns like **/*.csv. Leave Recursive on to include subfolders, or turn it off to watch only the top level.
4

Pick the destination

Select the collection to upload into from the sidebar. It shows as the Destination in the add form. Then click Add watched folder.
The folder appears in the list as watching, with its file-type filter and destination shown.

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What gets uploaded

By default, a watched folder uploads only files that are added or changed after you add the watch — pointing it at a folder full of existing files does not trigger a surprise bulk upload. Each file is uploaded as a new asset to the destination collection, keeping its path relative to the watched folder.
  • Existing files — to upload files that were already in the folder, click Upload existing on that folder. Only files not already uploaded are sent.
  • No duplicates — a file that already uploaded is not sent again, even after you restart the app. Editing a file uploads the new version.
  • In-progress writes — a file still being written or copied isn’t uploaded until it finishes, so you never get a truncated asset.

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Match by extension or glob

Extensions

A comma-separated list of extensions, such as .csv, .tif, .json. The simplest option for “upload these file types”.

Globs

Path-aware patterns, such as **/*.csv (any depth) or data/*.tif (a specific subfolder). Use these when the location matters, not just the type.
A folder with no patterns matches nothing — to upload everything, use a * or ** glob.

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Manage watched folders

Each folder in the list has actions:
  • Pause / Resume — stop or restart automatic uploading. A paused folder shows as paused and uploads nothing until you resume it.
  • Upload existing — upload matching files already in the folder (see above).
  • Remove (✕) — stop watching the folder and remove it from the list.
To change a folder’s destination or file types, remove it and add it again.
A folder can only be watched once. You can’t add a folder that’s already watched, or one that’s inside (or contains) another watched folder.

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Where uploads appear

Files uploaded by a watched folder show up in the Transfers tab alongside your manual uploads, with the same live progress, pause/resume, and integrity checks described in Move large data with the desktop app.