Tags driving me crazy - need help interpreting debug log

Hi everyone!

Sorry if I am too exhausted by the buggers and have overlooked information that might have solved my problem allready, but consulting with three different ais and all the saerching I could do pretty much only worsened my confusion. So please help me understand the problem.

I am trying to do basic hazel, in this case checking for a tag and then sorting the file to a specific folder. I've been running in circles and maybe my idea to get help from chatGPT, Gemini and leChat was stupid, because trying to set up my sorting routine I set up python skripts and did all kinds of stuff that went way beyond my capacity, but there I am. Did that possibly screw up my system?

Right now I simply want my rule to check for a green tag. If hazel finds that one plus a certain string in the name of the file, I want that file to be moved to a certain folder.

The green tag will not be recognized by previw rule and obviuosly the rule will not be activated by run rules now. I change that rule to a yellow tag, everything works fine. In finder both tags get displayed, mdls returns both tags, only hazel simply wont recognize the green tag.

What's the part about the file not existing? It obviously does, otherwise hazel would not recognize it at all?! And as the log also mentions this in case of the yellow tag, how could the rule be applied at all in that case?

Thanks a bunch for your time!!

Debug log checking for the green tag is as follows:

2026-02-18 07:41:11.060 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Thread 0xbbd058000: Run worker for folder: /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:41:11.120 hazelworker[7015] Running worker (v6.1.1) for folder with identifier: 16777232-33776043.
2026-02-18 07:41:11.121 hazelworker[7015] ###Arch: arm64
2026-02-18 07:41:11.122 hazelworker[7015] ###main load address: 0x104d34000
2026-02-18 07:41:11.122 hazelworker[7015] ###Hazel Core load address: 0x104f08000
2026-02-18 07:41:11.122 hazelworker[7015] ###Noodle load address: 0x1052b4000
2026-02-18 07:41:11.122 hazelworker[7015] ###CK load address: 0x104de8000
2026-02-18 07:41:11.132 hazelworker[7015] DEBUG: Program is licensed.
2026-02-18 07:41:11.147 hazelworker[7015] Could not generate new bookmark data for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Scan_Eingang: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 "The file couldn’t be opened because it doesn’t exist."
2026-02-18 07:41:11.147 hazelworker[7015] Could not create file alias for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Scan_Eingang. Error creating bookmark data: (null)
2026-02-18 07:41:11.148 hazelworker[7015] Processing folder 00_Eingang (forced)
2026-02-18 07:41:11.148 hazelworker[7015] DEBUG: Pausing to wait for things to settle down.
2026-02-18 07:41:13.219 hazelworker[7015] DEBUG: Processing directories: (
"/Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang"
)
2026-02-18 07:41:13.225 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Checking events for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang, folder 00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:41:13.225 hazelworker[7015] DEBUG: About to process directory /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:41:13.258 hazelworker[7015] DEBUG: .DS_Store: File is hidden/invisible. Skipping.
2026-02-18 07:41:13.284 hazelworker[7015] DEBUG: 2025-11-13_Schreiben_WWK_Standmitteilung_BasisRente.pdf: Did not match any rules.
2026-02-18 07:41:13.285 hazelworker[7015] DEBUG: Directory /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang processed in 0.059532 seconds
2026-02-18 07:41:13.285 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Checking events for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang, folder 00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:41:13.285 hazelworker[7015] Received abort event.
2026-02-18 07:41:13.286 hazelworker[7015] DEBUG: Sending metrics to scheduler. Next scheduled run: 4001-01-01 01:00:00.000
2026-02-18 07:41:13.286 hazelworker[7015] Done processing folder 00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:41:13.286 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Received metrics for folder /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang: {
directoryDepth = 0;
requestedSchedulingTime = "4001-01-01 00:00:00 +0000";
triggerPaths = "<NoodlePathSet: 0xbbcaab0e0>\n";
unavailablePaths = "{(\n)}";
}
2026-02-18 07:41:13.286 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Timer scheduled for folder /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang at 4001-01-01 00:00:00 +0000
2026-02-18 07:41:13.289 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Thread 0xbbd058000: Task removed: [7015]

Debug log checking for the yellow file is as follows:

2026-02-18 07:42:38.277 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Thread 0xbbd058000: Run worker for folder: /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:42:38.353 hazelworker[7019] Running worker (v6.1.1) for folder with identifier: 16777232-33776043.
2026-02-18 07:42:38.355 hazelworker[7019] ###Arch: arm64
2026-02-18 07:42:38.355 hazelworker[7019] ###main load address: 0x10447c000
2026-02-18 07:42:38.355 hazelworker[7019] ###Hazel Core load address: 0x104650000
2026-02-18 07:42:38.355 hazelworker[7019] ###Noodle load address: 0x104a48000
2026-02-18 07:42:38.355 hazelworker[7019] ###CK load address: 0x104530000
2026-02-18 07:42:38.370 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Program is licensed.
2026-02-18 07:42:38.396 hazelworker[7019] Could not generate new bookmark data for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Scan_Eingang: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 "The file couldn’t be opened because it doesn’t exist."
2026-02-18 07:42:38.396 hazelworker[7019] Could not create file alias for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Scan_Eingang. Error creating bookmark data: (null)
2026-02-18 07:42:38.397 hazelworker[7019] Processing folder 00_Eingang (forced)
2026-02-18 07:42:38.397 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Pausing to wait for things to settle down.
2026-02-18 07:42:40.409 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Processing directories: (
"/Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang"
)
2026-02-18 07:42:40.414 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Checking events for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang, folder 00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:42:40.414 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: About to process directory /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:42:40.445 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: .DS_Store: File is hidden/invisible. Skipping.
2026-02-18 07:42:40.466 hazelworker[7019] 2025-11-13_Schreiben_WWK_Standmitteilung_BasisRente.pdf: Rule Finanzen_Rente matched.
2026-02-18 07:42:40.466 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: New rule signature. Executing actions.
Old signatures: (
)
New Signature:{(displayBasename hazelContainsObject: "Schreiben_WWK") AND tags hazelContainsObjects: {"Gelb"}}:{(move:/Users/bjorn/Documents/01_Finanzen/Rente,{
replaceExisting = 0;
throwAwayDupes = 0;
})(removetag:(
"<null>"
),{
})}
2026-02-18 07:42:40.467 hazelworker[7019] [File Event] File moved: 2025-11-13_Schreiben_WWK_Standmitteilung_BasisRente.pdf moved from folder /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang to folder /Users/bjorn/Documents/01_Finanzen/Rente.
2026-02-18 07:42:40.574 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Rule executed. Updating match date for file /Users/bjorn/Documents/01_Finanzen/Rente/2025-11-13_Schreiben_WWK_Standmitteilung_BasisRente.pdf: 2026-02-18 06:42:40 +0000
2026-02-18 07:42:40.575 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Action changed file: 2025-11-13_Schreiben_WWK_Standmitteilung_BasisRente.pdf
2026-02-18 07:42:40.575 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: File /Users/bjorn/Documents/01_Finanzen/Rente/2025-11-13_Schreiben_WWK_Standmitteilung_BasisRente.pdf moved out of folder. No longer tracking.
2026-02-18 07:42:40.576 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Writing out DB file for /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang to path: /Users/bjorn/Library/Application Support/Hazel/16777232-33776043.hazeldb
2026-02-18 07:42:40.578 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Directory /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang processed in 0.163310 seconds
2026-02-18 07:42:40.578 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Checking events for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang, folder 00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:42:40.578 hazelworker[7019] Received abort event.
2026-02-18 07:42:40.578 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Sleeping
2026-02-18 07:42:42.665 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: About to process directory /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:42:42.666 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Directory /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang processed in 0.000948 seconds
2026-02-18 07:42:42.667 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Checking events for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang, folder 00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:42:42.667 hazelworker[7019] Received abort event.
2026-02-18 07:42:42.668 hazelworker[7019] DEBUG: Sending metrics to scheduler. Next scheduled run: 4001-01-01 01:00:00.000
2026-02-18 07:42:42.669 hazelworker[7019] Done processing folder 00_Eingang
2026-02-18 07:42:42.669 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Received metrics for folder /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang: {
directoryDepth = 0;
requestedSchedulingTime = "4001-01-01 00:00:00 +0000";
triggerPaths = "<NoodlePathSet: 0xbbc8b23c0>\n";
unavailablePaths = "{(\n)}";
}
2026-02-18 07:42:42.669 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Timer scheduled for folder /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Eingang at 4001-01-01 00:00:00 +0000
2026-02-18 07:42:42.675 86Z3GCJ4MF.com.noodlesoft.HazelHelper[1082] DEBUG: Thread 0xbbd058000: Task removed: [7019]

Are you checking for the green tag or the color label. There is an important distinction there.

Also, try updating to 6.1.2 (which was just released) as it addresses an issue with tag to color mappings on Tahoe.

Mr_Noodle wrote:Are you checking for the green tag or the color label. There is an important distinction there.

Also, try updating to 6.1.2 (which was just released) as it addresses an issue with tag to color mappings on Tahoe.

I'm checking for tags, not the color label.

Thanks for the tip! I'll update later and let you know the results.

Ok, the update seems to have done the trick. I'm still confused about the logic of this statement in the log, though:

2026-02-19 03:04:11.279 hazelworker[10911] Could not generate new bookmark data for path /Users/bjorn/Documents/00_Scan_Eingang: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 "The file couldn’t be opened because it doesn’t exist."

The rule gets applied anyway. Is that saying that hazel couldn't generate that data, meaning hazel couldn't tell me that the file didn't exist because it does? What's the point of this statement?

Also, while trying to fix the issue with the color tags, I have changed the name of the folder containing the data to be sorted to 00_Eingang instead of 00_Scan_Eingang, hoping that would somehow re-index the folder and its contents. Hazel knows that, as in the actual program hazel shows the name of the folder 00_Eingang. Does that have anything to do with anything?

Sorry, the days of me actually writing any source code are >20 years gone...

correction. Some rules checking for green tags recognize the tag, others don't. One rule I now have checking for the green tag twice and it recognizes the tag in one case, in the other it doesn't. So the update partly solved the problem :?:

By now I have replaced the conditions checking for the tags which didn't yield the desired results with the same conditions, now generating the effect I wanted. I guess, I'll just put that down to deeper logic issues that go beyond my scope to comprehend.

Thanks for your time anyway!!

You still haven't answered my question about whether you are checking against tags or color labels.