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watch

Watch a directory and auto-organize new files as they appear.

Usage

neatcli watch [OPTIONS] <PATH>

Options

Flag Description
--by-type Organize by file type (default)
--by-date Organize by date
--by-extension Organize by extension
--config Use custom config file
--auto Auto-confirm without prompts

Examples

Watch Downloads Folder

neatcli watch ~/Downloads

Output: 

→ Watching /Users/you/Downloads (press Ctrl+C to stop)...

[14:32:15] New file: report.pdf
           → Moving to Documents/report.pdf
           Confirm? [y/N]:

Auto Mode

Skip confirmations:

neatcli watch ~/Downloads --auto

With Custom Config

neatcli watch ~/Downloads --config ~/.neat/custom.toml

How It Works

  1. NeatCLI monitors the directory for new files
  2. When a file is created or modified, it's detected
  3. The file is organized according to the selected mode
  4. With --auto, this happens immediately; otherwise, you're prompted

Background Service

For permanent background watching, consider setting up a launchd (macOS) or systemd (Linux) service.

Use Cases

  • Downloads folder - Auto-organize downloads as they complete
  • Sync folders - Organize files from cloud sync services
  • Import folders - Sort files from camera imports

See Also