Exclusion Rules

Exclusion Rules prevent specific files or folders from being moved during organization. Use rules to protect configuration files, system folders, or any content you want to keep in place.

Overview

Exclusion rules are evaluated before AI processing:

Files matching any enabled rule are excluded from the organization plan
Rules can be based on name, path, size, date, or file type
Built-in presets provide sensible defaults for common scenarios
Custom rules offer unlimited flexibility

Exclusion rules are deterministic and bypass AI decision-making. If a file matches a rule, it will never be moved, regardless of AI suggestions.

Rule Types

Sorty supports 12 types of exclusion rules:

File Extension

Match files by their extension.

Pattern: pdf
  → Excludes: report.pdf, invoice.pdf

Pattern: jpg,png,gif
  → Excludes: photo.jpg, icon.png, animation.gif

Use case: Protect all PDFs, configuration files (.env, .config), or specific file types.

File Name

Match files containing specific text in their name.

Pattern: README
  → Excludes: README.md, README.txt, README_old.md

Pattern: config
  → Excludes: config.json, app.config, config_backup.yml

Options:

Case Sensitive: Match exact case only
Negated: Exclude files that DON’T contain the pattern

Folder Name

Exclude entire folders by name.

Pattern: node_modules
  → Excludes: Any folder named "node_modules" at any depth

Pattern: .git
  → Excludes: Git repositories

Folder name rules exclude the entire folder and all its contents. Use cautiously.

Path Contains

Match files whose full path includes specific text.

Pattern: /Archive/
  → Excludes: /Users/me/Documents/Archive/old_file.pdf

Pattern: Important
  → Excludes: /Projects/Important_Stuff/doc.txt

Use case: Protect files in specific subdirectories or with path-based naming conventions.

Regular Expression (Regex)

Advanced pattern matching using regular expressions.

# Match version numbers
Pattern: v\d+\.\d+\.\d+
  → Excludes: app_v1.2.3.zip, release_v2.0.1.dmg

# Match temporary files
Pattern: ^\.(temp|tmp|cache)
  → Excludes: .temp_file, .tmp_data, .cache_dir

# Match date prefixes
Pattern: ^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}
  → Excludes: 2024-03-15_report.pdf

Use regex101.com to test and debug regular expressions before adding them to Sorty.

File Size

Exclude files based on size (in megabytes).

# Exclude large video files
Larger than 500 MB
  → Excludes: movie.mp4 (2.1 GB), project.zip (800 MB)

# Exclude tiny files
Smaller than 1 KB
  → Excludes: .DS_Store (6 bytes), Thumbs.db (0.5 KB)

Use case: Skip very large files (videos, disk images) or tiny system files.

Creation Date

Exclude files based on when they were created.

# Exclude old files
Older than 365 days
  → Excludes: Files created over a year ago

# Exclude recent files
Newer than 7 days
  → Excludes: Files created in the last week

Use case: Organize only recent files, or protect archived content from being moved.

Modification Date

Exclude files based on last modification date.

# Skip recently modified files
Newer than 1 day
  → Excludes: Active working files

# Skip stale files
Older than 180 days
  → Excludes: Files untouched for 6+ months

Hidden Files

Automatically match files starting with . (dot files).

Excludes:
  .DS_Store
  .gitignore
  .env
  .config

This rule requires no pattern—it’s enabled/disabled with a toggle.

System Files

Match macOS and Windows system files.

.DS_Store
Thumbs.db
desktop.ini
.Spotlight-V100
.Trashes
.fseventsd
.TemporaryItems

File Type Category

Match files by high-level category.

Category	Included Extensions
Images	jpg, png, gif, heic, webp, svg, raw, psd, ai
Videos	mp4, mov, avi, mkv, wmv, flv, webm, m4v
Audio	mp3, wav, aac, flac, ogg, m4a, aiff, midi
Documents	pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf, pages, md, epub
Archives	zip, rar, 7z, tar, gz, dmg, iso, pkg
Code	swift, py, js, ts, html, css, java, rb, go, rs
Applications	app, exe, msi, apk, ipa
Fonts	ttf, otf, woff, woff2
Databases	db, sqlite, sqlite3, mdb, realm

Use case: Exclude all images, all code files, or all documents with a single rule.

Custom Script

Run AppleScript to determine if a file should be excluded. This allows programmatic exclusion logic based on file metadata, content, or system state.

-- Exclude files larger than 100MB
tell application "Finder"
  set fileSize to size of (POSIX file theFile)
  if fileSize > 104857600 then
    return true
  else
    return false
  end if
end tell

Use case: Advanced filtering based on custom logic, integration with other apps, or complex metadata checks.

Creating Rules

Open Exclusions

Navigate to Exclusions in the sidebar (or press ⌘4).

Add Rule

Click Add Rule button in the top-right.

Select Type

Choose a rule type from the dropdown (e.g., File Extension, Path Contains).

Define Pattern

Enter the pattern to match (e.g., pdf, node_modules, /Archive/).

Configure Options

Description: Optional label for the rule
Case Sensitive: Match exact case
Negated: Invert the match logic

Save Rule

Click Save to activate the rule immediately.

Rules are evaluated in the order they appear in the list. Use drag handles to reorder rules for clarity (order doesn’t affect functionality).

Rule Presets

Presets provide curated rule collections for common workflows.

Available Presets

Developer Preset

Protects code project structures:

Included Rules

- node_modules/ folders
- .git/ folders
- .env files
- package.json, package-lock.json
- .vscode/ and .idea/ config folders
- build/, dist/, out/ output folders
- *.lock files (yarn.lock, Gemfile.lock, etc.)
- Hidden files (dotfiles)

Use case: Organize code projects without disrupting build tools or version control.

Media Creator Preset

Protects large media files:

Included Rules

- Files larger than 500 MB
- .fcpx (Final Cut Pro) folders
- .aep (After Effects) files
- .psd (Photoshop) files larger than 100 MB
- Render/ and Export/ folders

Use case: Organize media projects while leaving working files and renders in place.

Student Preset

Protects academic materials:

Included Rules

- Syllabus files
- Assignment submission folders
- Research/ folders
- Bibliography files (.bib)
- Thesis/ folders

Photographer Preset

Protects photography workflows:

Included Rules

- RAW files (CR2, NEF, ARW, DNG)
- Lightroom catalogs (.lrcat)
- Capture One sessions
- *.xmp sidecar files

System Files Preset

Excludes common system and temporary files:

Included Rules

- .DS_Store, Thumbs.db, desktop.ini
- Hidden files (dotfiles)
- .Spotlight-V100, .Trashes, .fseventsd
- Files smaller than 1 KB

Minimal Preset

Basic exclusions only:

Included Rules

- .DS_Store
- .git/
- node_modules/

Applying Presets

Open Preset Manager

Click Load Preset in the Exclusions view.

Select Preset

Choose a preset that matches your workflow.

Review Rules

Inspect the rules that will be added (existing custom rules are preserved).

Apply

Click Apply Preset to add the rules.

Applying a preset removes existing built-in rules but preserves your custom rules. You can have only one active preset at a time.

Advanced Features

Case Sensitivity

Control whether text matching is case-sensitive:

Pattern: readme
  → Matches: README, readme, ReadMe, README.md

Case Sensitive
Pattern: readme
  → Matches: readme, readme.txt
  → Does NOT match: README, ReadMe

Negated Rules

Invert match logic to exclude files that don’t match the pattern:

Type: File Extension
Pattern: pdf
  → Excludes: All PDFs

Negated Rule
Type: File Extension
Pattern: pdf
Negated: YES
  → Excludes: All files EXCEPT PDFs

Use case: Organize only PDFs, or only images, while leaving everything else untouched.

Rule Priority

Rules are evaluated independently:

If any enabled rule matches, the file is excluded
Multiple rules can match the same file
Rule order doesn’t affect evaluation (all rules checked)

Rules:
  1. File Extension: "pdf"
  2. Path Contains: "/Archive/"

File: /Archive/report.pdf
  → Matches Rule 1: YES (is a PDF)
  → Matches Rule 2: YES (in Archive folder)
  → Result: Excluded (multiple matches)

Debugging Rules

Testing Rules

Verify a rule matches expected files:

Create a test rule
Run a preview organization (don’t apply changes)
Check the “Excluded Files” section in the preview
Verify expected files appear in the exclusion list

Viewing Matched Rules

See which rule excluded a specific file:

Excluded Files (23):
  ├─ .DS_Store
  │  └─ Matched: "System Files" rule
  ├─ config.json
  │  └─ Matched: "File Name contains 'config'" rule
  ├─ /Archive/old.pdf
  │  └─ Matched: "Path Contains '/Archive/'" rule

Enable Include Reasoning in Settings to see detailed explanations for excluded files in the organization preview.

Performance Impact

Exclusion rules are evaluated during file scanning:

Minimal impact: Rules use efficient string matching
Regex rules: Slightly slower (compiled once, cached)
Large rule sets: 100+ rules may add 1-2s to scan time

Optimization Tips

Combine Rules

Use regex to combine multiple simple rules into one complex pattern.

Disable Unused Rules

Toggle off rules you don’t currently need instead of deleting them.

Use Presets

Start with a preset and add custom rules only as needed.

Avoid Wildcards

Specific patterns are faster than broad wildcards.

Integration with AI

Exclusion Enforcement

Sorty uses a two-layer approach:

Pre-filtering: Excluded files never reach the AI
Post-validation: If AI somehow includes an excluded file, it’s caught and removed

Prompt Integration

Exclusion rules are mentioned in the AI prompt:

Example Prompt Snippet

The following files have been excluded by user-defined rules and
should NOT appear in your organization plan:

- .DS_Store (System Files rule)
- node_modules/ (Developer Preset)
- config.json (File Name rule)

Do NOT include these files in any folder suggestions.

Common Patterns

Exclude Version Control

Rules

- Folder Name: .git
- Folder Name: .svn
- Folder Name: .hg
- File Name: .gitignore

Exclude Build Artifacts

Rules

- Folder Name: build
- Folder Name: dist
- Folder Name: target
- Folder Name: out
- File Extension: .o
- File Extension: .class

Exclude Temporary Files

Rules

- File Extension: tmp
- File Extension: temp
- File Extension: cache
- Regex: ~\$.*
- File Name: Untitled

Exclude Configuration

Rules

- File Extension: env
- File Extension: config
- File Name: settings
- Path Contains: /config/

Exclude Media Workflows

Rules

- File Extension: fcpx
- File Extension: aep
- File Extension: prproj
- File Size: Larger than 1000 MB
- Folder Name: Render

Deeplink Automation

Add exclusion rules via URL schemes:

Deeplink Examples

# Add a pattern rule
open "sorty://rules?action=add&type=pattern&pattern=*.log"

# Add a folder exclusion
open "sorty://rules?action=add&type=folder&pattern=node_modules"

# Open rules view
open "sorty://rules"

CLI Integration

CLI Commands

# Add exclusion rule
sorty rules add "*.tmp"
sorty rules add --type=folder "node_modules"

# List rules
sorty rules list

# Remove rule
sorty rules remove <rule-id>

Troubleshooting

Rule Not Working

Symptoms: Files are being organized despite matching a rule.

Solutions

Check rule is Enabled (toggle on)
Verify pattern syntax (test with a simple file first)
Check for typos in the pattern
For regex rules, validate syntax on regex101.com
Ensure rule type matches the file attribute you want to filter

Too Many Files Excluded

Symptoms: Very few files are being organized.

Solutions

Review active rules and disable overly broad ones
Check for negated rules that invert your intent
Temporarily disable all rules to verify files scan correctly
Use more specific patterns instead of wildcards

Regex Not Matching

Symptoms: Regex rule doesn’t match expected files.

Solutions

Test regex on regex101.com with sample filenames
Enable “Case Insensitive” if needed
Escape special characters (\. for literal dots)
Use anchors: ^ for start, $ for end
Test with a simpler pattern first

Best Practices

Start with a Preset

Begin with a workflow-specific preset and customize from there.

Test Before Applying

Always preview organization to verify exclusions before applying changes.

Document Complex Rules

Use the Description field to explain non-obvious rules.

Regular Maintenance

Review and clean up unused rules periodically.

Be careful with negated rules. They can have unexpected effects—thoroughly test negated rules before relying on them.

Get Started

Core Features

Configuration

Automation

Advanced

Documentation Index

​Overview

​Rule Types

​File Extension

​File Name

​Folder Name

​Path Contains

​Regular Expression (Regex)

​File Size

​Creation Date

​Modification Date

​Hidden Files

​System Files

​File Type Category

​Custom Script

​Creating Rules

​Rule Presets

​Available Presets

​Developer Preset

​Media Creator Preset

​Student Preset

​Photographer Preset

​System Files Preset

​Minimal Preset

​Applying Presets

​Advanced Features

​Case Sensitivity

​Negated Rules

​Rule Priority

​Debugging Rules

​Testing Rules

​Viewing Matched Rules

​Performance Impact

​Optimization Tips

Combine Rules

Disable Unused Rules

Use Presets

Avoid Wildcards

​Integration with AI

​Exclusion Enforcement

​Prompt Integration

​Common Patterns

​Exclude Version Control

​Exclude Build Artifacts

​Exclude Temporary Files

​Exclude Configuration

​Exclude Media Workflows

​Deeplink Automation

​CLI Integration

​Troubleshooting

​Rule Not Working

​Too Many Files Excluded

​Regex Not Matching

​Best Practices

Start with a Preset

Test Before Applying

Document Complex Rules

Regular Maintenance

Overview

Rule Types

File Extension

File Name

Folder Name

Path Contains

Regular Expression (Regex)

File Size

Creation Date

Modification Date

Hidden Files

System Files

File Type Category

Custom Script

Creating Rules

Rule Presets

Available Presets

Developer Preset

Media Creator Preset

Student Preset

Photographer Preset

System Files Preset

Minimal Preset

Applying Presets

Advanced Features

Case Sensitivity

Negated Rules

Rule Priority

Debugging Rules

Testing Rules

Viewing Matched Rules

Performance Impact

Optimization Tips

Integration with AI

Exclusion Enforcement

Prompt Integration

Common Patterns

Exclude Version Control

Exclude Build Artifacts

Exclude Temporary Files

Exclude Configuration

Exclude Media Workflows

Deeplink Automation

CLI Integration

Troubleshooting

Rule Not Working

Too Many Files Excluded

Regex Not Matching

Best Practices