Reading the log in macOS isn’t easy, but here ten systems where it’s the only way to discover and address problems, and a bonus 11th.
Cirrus
It lets you evict files so their data is only held in iCloud Drive, freeing up local space. But would to get into storage debt as a results?
How local files retain their extended attributes and versions when moved to iCloud Drive, but they’re not available to other Macs. Sparse files and storage economy as well.
Further insights into how iCloud Drive works using a folder of 20 small files. These reveal system limits including chunk size and throttling.
When run on Sonoma, these now show log entries from com.apple.FileProvider rather than CloudDocs – a real revelation.
How Sonoma’s new FileProvider mechanism is reflected in log entries for the upload of a test file to iCloud Drive.
iCloud Drive in Sonoma has changed beyond all recognition, and is now closely integrated with the FileProvider API. This has important effects, including how you can diagnose problems with the log.
How iCloud Drive, concerned with sharing files, and CloudKit, supporting databases shared in iCloud, have changed in Sonoma.
The small stub files used as placeholders for files evicted to iCloud Drive have vanished. Could that be why some Macs had to download the whole contents of their iCloud Drive?
When should you turn iCloud off to try to solve syncing problems? What use is a Content Caching server? What tools can help diagnose and fix problems?