Workflow Guides - File Fortress

This page provides comprehensive workflow guides that walk you through complete processes from start to finish. Each guide includes detailed steps, examples, and best practices.

These guides are more detailed than quick recipes and cover complete workflows with multiple steps. For quick command snippets, see our Quick Recipes page.

Beginner 15 min

Complete walkthrough from installation to your first successful file search.

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Intermediate 20 min

Learn how to effectively manage files across multiple cloud storage providers.

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Intermediate 25 min

Master complex search queries, metadata filtering, and saved queries.

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Beginner 10 min

Keep your FileFortress installation running smoothly with regular maintenance tasks.

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Intermediate 30 min

Organize and search your photo library using EXIF metadata and FileFortress.

View Guide

Advanced 45 min

Automate FileFortress tasks with scripts and scheduled jobs.

View Guide

This guide walks you through the complete setup process. For a quicker start, you can use the filefortress setup command which does all of this automatically!

Complete walkthrough from installation to your first successful file search.

Install & Verify

Initialize Device

Add Cloud Storage

Scan Files

First Search

Step 1: Install & Verify

Download and install FileFortress CLI for your operating system, then verify the installation.

filefortress --version

Expected output: Version number like "FileFortress CLI v1.0.0"

Step 2: Initialize Device

Register your device with FileFortress using your registration code from the dashboard.

filefortress init

Follow the interactive prompts to enter your registration code and device name.

Step 3: Add Cloud Storage

Connect your first cloud storage account.

filefortress remotes add

Choose your provider (Google Drive, OneDrive, S3, or Backblaze B2) and follow the authentication flow.

Step 4: Scan Files

Build the initial file index by scanning your connected storage.

filefortress remotes scan --all

This may take a few minutes depending on how many files you have.

Step 5: First Search

Try your first search to verify everything is working!

filefortress search "document"

You should see a list of files matching your search term.

You're now ready to use FileFortress. Check out our Quick Recipes for common tasks.

Learn how to effectively manage files across multiple cloud storage providers with FileFortress.

Plan Your Strategy

Add Multiple Remotes

Organize Files

Search Across Clouds

Manage Quotas

Step 1: Plan Your Multi-Cloud Strategy

Before adding multiple cloud providers, plan your storage allocation:

Primary Storage: Your main cloud provider (e.g., Google Drive for unlimited storage with Workspace)

Backup Storage: Secondary provider for redundancy (e.g., Backblaze B2 for cost-effective backups)

Archive Storage: Long-term storage for rarely accessed files (e.g., Amazon S3 Glacier)

Specialty Storage: Provider-specific features (e.g., OneDrive for Office integration)

Step 2: Add Multiple Remotes

Add each cloud provider with descriptive names:

# Add Google Drive

filefortress remotes add gdrive

# Name it: "Google Drive - Primary"


# Add Backblaze B2

filefortress remotes add b2

# Name it: "Backblaze - Backup"


# Add Amazon S3

filefortress remotes add s3

# Name it: "S3 - Archive"


# Verify all remotes

filefortress remotes list

Use descriptive names that indicate the provider and purpose: "Provider - Purpose". This makes it easier to identify remotes in search results.

Step 3: Organize Files Across Providers

Establish a clear organization strategy:

File Type	Primary Location	Backup Location	Rationale
Active Projects	Google Drive	Backblaze B2	Fast access + reliable backup
Photos (RAW)	Google Drive	Backblaze B2	Unlimited storage + low-cost backup
Archives	S3 Glacier	-	Very low cost for rarely accessed files
Documents	OneDrive	Google Drive	Office integration + redundancy

Step 4: Search Across All Clouds

FileFortress searches across all connected providers by default:

# Search all providers

filefortress search "project report"


# Search specific provider

filefortress search "project report" --remote-name "Google Drive - Primary"


# Search by provider type

filefortress search "backup" --remote-type b2

Step 5: Scan All Remotes

Keep your index up-to-date across all providers:

# Scan all remotes

filefortress remotes scan --all


# Scan specific remote

filefortress remotes scan "Google Drive - Primary"


# View scan status

filefortress remotes list

Step 6: Manage Storage Quotas

Monitor storage usage across providers:

# View remote details including quota

filefortress remotes info "Google Drive - Primary"


# Check total file count per provider

filefortress search "" --remote-name "Google Drive - Primary" | wc -l

Scan all remotes regularly (daily or weekly)
Use consistent naming conventions
Document your multi-cloud strategy
Test backup restoration periodically
Monitor costs across providers

Master complex search queries, metadata filtering, and saved queries to find exactly what you need.

Understand Commands

Use Metadata Filters

Combine Criteria

Save Queries

Optimize Performance

Step 1: Understand search vs find

FileFortress has two main search commands with different purposes:

Command	Purpose	Example
`search`	Search by filename and metadata	`filefortress search "report"`
`find query`	Advanced queries with complex logic	`filefortress find query "*.pdf"`
`find duplicates`	Find duplicate files by hash	`filefortress find duplicates`

Step 2: Use Metadata Filters

Filter by file metadata for precise results:

# Filter by file extension

filefortress search "" --extension pdf,docx


# Filter by media type

filefortress search "" --media-type image


# Filter by size

filefortress search "" --size-min 10MB --size-max 100MB


# Filter by date

filefortress search "" --modified-after "30 days"


# Filter by EXIF metadata (photos)

filefortress search "" --meta "exif.cameraMake=Canon"

Step 3: Combine Multiple Criteria

Chain filters for complex queries:

# Large PDFs modified recently

filefortress search "" --extension pdf --size-min 10MB --modified-after "7 days"


# High-resolution Canon photos from 2024

filefortress search "" \

  --media-type image \

  --meta "exif.cameraMake=Canon" \

  --meta "exif.takenAt>=2024-01-01" \

  --meta "image.width>=4000"


# Documents in specific remote

filefortress search "report" --extension docx,pdf --remote-name "Google Drive"

All filters use AND logic - files must match all criteria. For OR logic, run multiple searches.

Step 4: Save Complex Queries

Save frequently used queries for quick access:

# Save a complex query

filefortress search "report" --extension pdf --modified-after "30 days" --save-query "recent-reports"


# Run saved query

filefortress search --use-query "recent-reports"

Step 5: Optimize Search Performance

Tips for faster searches:

Be specific: Use file extension or media type filters first

Limit scope: Search specific remotes with --remote-name

Use pagination: Add --limit 50 for large result sets

Regular scans: Keep index up-to-date with regular scans

Use --save-query for complex searches you'll repeat
Combine --extension with text search for best results
Use metadata filters for photos, videos, and documents
Test queries with --limit 10 before running full search

For more details, see our Complete Search Syntax Guide and Metadata Filtering Guide.

Keep your FileFortress installation running smoothly with regular maintenance tasks.

Check for Updates

Scan Remotes

Verify Database

Backup Configuration

Step 1: Check for CLI Updates

Keep FileFortress up-to-date with the latest features and bug fixes:

# Check for updates

filefortress update


# Check current version

filefortress --version

Frequency: Weekly or monthly

Step 2: Scan Remotes for New Files

Keep your file index up-to-date:

# Scan all remotes

filefortress remotes scan --all


# Scan specific remote

filefortress remotes scan "Google Drive"


# View last scan time

filefortress remotes list

Frequency: Daily for active storage, weekly for archives

Step 3: Verify Database Health

Check that your local database is functioning properly:

# View device info (includes database status)

filefortress device info


# Check total file count

filefortress search "" | wc -l


# Verify remotes are accessible

filefortress remotes list

Frequency: Monthly

Step 4: Backup Configuration

Protect your FileFortress configuration and key files:

# Windows: Backup configuration

copy %USERPROFILE%\.filefortress\* D:\Backups\FileFortress\


# Linux/Mac: Backup configuration

cp -r ~/.filefortress/ ~/Backups/FileFortress/

Important files to backup:

Key file (if using custom password)

Database file (contains your file index)

Configuration file

Frequency: Monthly or after major changes

Recommended Maintenance Schedule

Task	Frequency	Command
Scan remotes	Daily	`filefortress remotes scan --all`
Check for updates	Weekly	`filefortress update`
Verify database	Monthly	`filefortress device info`
Backup configuration	Monthly	Copy `~/.filefortress/`

Consider automating these tasks with scheduled scripts. See our Automation Guide for details.

✓ CLI is up-to-date
✓ All remotes scanned recently
✓ Database is healthy
✓ Configuration backed up
✓ Key files secured

Organize and search your photo library using EXIF metadata and FileFortress.

Initial Setup

Organize by EXIF

Find Photos

Manage RAW+JPEG

Backup Strategy

Find Duplicates

Step 1: Initial Setup and First Scan

Set up FileFortress and scan your photo storage:

# Initialize FileFortress

filefortress init


# Add your photo storage

filefortress remotes add gdrive

# Name it: "Photos - Google Drive"


# Scan to index all photos

filefortress remotes scan "Photos - Google Drive"

Step 2: Organize by EXIF Metadata

Use EXIF data to organize and find photos:

# Find all Canon photos

filefortress search "" --meta "exif.cameraMake=Canon"


# Find photos from specific camera

filefortress search "" --meta "exif.cameraModel=EOS R5"


# Find photos with specific lens

filefortress search "" --meta "exif.lens~=70-200"

Step 3: Find Photos by Criteria

Search by camera settings and dates:

# Wide aperture photos (portraits)

filefortress search "" --meta "exif.aperture<=2.8"


# Photos from 2024

filefortress search "" --meta "exif.takenAt>=2024-01-01"


# High ISO photos

filefortress search "" --meta "exif.iso>=3200"


# Photos with GPS data

filefortress search "" --meta "exif.gpsLatitude exists"

Step 4: Manage RAW + JPEG Pairs

Find and organize RAW and JPEG files:

# Find all RAW files

filefortress search "" --extension cr2,cr3,nef,arw,dng


# Find all JPEG files

filefortress search "" --extension jpg,jpeg


# Find specific photo in both formats

filefortress search "IMG_1234"

Step 5: Backup Strategies

Implement multi-cloud backup for photos:

# Add backup storage

filefortress remotes add b2

# Name it: "Photos - Backup B2"


# Scan backup storage

filefortress remotes scan "Photos - Backup B2"


# Verify photo exists in both locations

filefortress search "IMG_1234.CR2"

Step 6: Duplicate Detection

Find duplicate photos across all storage:

# Enable hash calculation

filefortress remotes enrich --all


# Find duplicates

filefortress find duplicates


# Save duplicate query

filefortress find duplicates --save-query "photo-duplicates"

Portfolio quality: --meta "exif.aperture<=2.8" --meta "image.width>=4000"
Event photos: --meta "exif.takenAt>=2024-06-15" --meta "exif.takenAt<=2024-06-15"
Telephoto shots: --meta "exif.focalLength>=200"

For more details, see our comprehensive Photography Workflow Guide.

Automate FileFortress tasks with scripts and scheduled jobs.

Non-Interactive Mode

Create Script

Schedule Task

Error Handling

Monitoring

Step 1: Understanding Non-Interactive Mode

Use --non-interactive flag to suppress prompts:

filefortress remotes scan --all --non-interactive

This is essential for automated scripts that run without user interaction.

Step 2: Create Your First Script

PowerShell (Windows):

# scan-daily.ps1

$keyFile = "$env:USERPROFILE\filefortress.key"

filefortress --key-file $keyFile remotes scan --all --non-interactive

Bash (Linux/Mac):

#!/bin/bash

# scan-daily.sh

KEY_FILE="$HOME/filefortress.key"

filefortress --key-file "$KEY_FILE" remotes scan --all --non-interactive

Step 3: Schedule Scanning (Windows Task Scheduler)

# Create scheduled task for daily scan at 2 AM

$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "PowerShell.exe" `

  -Argument "-File C:\Scripts\scan-daily.ps1"

$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At 2am

Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "FileFortress Daily Scan" `

  -Action $action -Trigger $trigger

Step 4: Schedule Scanning (Linux/Mac cron)

# Edit crontab

crontab -e


# Add daily scan at 2 AM

0 2 * * * /home/username/scripts/scan-daily.sh

Step 5: Error Handling and Logging

Add logging to track script execution:

# PowerShell with logging

$logFile = "$env:USERPROFILE\FileFortress\logs\scan.log"

try {

  "[$(Get-Date)] Starting scan" | Out-File $logFile -Append

  filefortress --key-file $keyFile remotes scan --all --non-interactive

  "[$(Get-Date)] Scan completed" | Out-File $logFile -Append

} catch {

  "[$(Get-Date)] Error: $_" | Out-File $logFile -Append

}

Step 6: Monitoring and Alerts

Send notifications on success or failure:

# PowerShell with email notification

if ($?) {

  Send-MailMessage -To "[email protected]" `

    -Subject "Scan Success" -Body "Scan completed"

} else {

  Send-MailMessage -To "[email protected]" `

    -Subject "Scan Failed" -Body "Check logs"

}

Always use --non-interactive flag
Use key files instead of passwords
Implement comprehensive logging
Add error handling and notifications
Test scripts manually before scheduling
Schedule during off-peak hours

For complete examples and advanced patterns, see our comprehensive Automation & Scripting Guide.

Is there a workflow or use case you'd like us to document? Let us know!

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Workflow Guides Step-by-step guides for complete workflows

Available Workflow Guides

First-Time Setup Workflow

Step 1: Install & Verify

Step 2: Initialize Device

Step 3: Add Cloud Storage

Step 4: Scan Files

Step 5: First Search

Multi-Cloud Management Workflow

Step 1: Plan Your Multi-Cloud Strategy

Step 2: Add Multiple Remotes

Step 3: Organize Files Across Providers

Step 4: Search Across All Clouds

Step 5: Scan All Remotes

Step 6: Manage Storage Quotas

Advanced Search Techniques Workflow

Step 1: Understand search vs find

Step 2: Use Metadata Filters

Step 3: Combine Multiple Criteria

Step 4: Save Complex Queries

Step 5: Optimize Search Performance

Regular Maintenance Workflow

Step 1: Check for CLI Updates

Step 2: Scan Remotes for New Files

Step 3: Verify Database Health

Step 4: Backup Configuration

Recommended Maintenance Schedule

Photography Workflow

Step 1: Initial Setup and First Scan

Step 2: Organize by EXIF Metadata

Step 3: Find Photos by Criteria

Step 4: Manage RAW + JPEG Pairs

Step 5: Backup Strategies

Step 6: Duplicate Detection

Automation & Scripting Workflow

Step 1: Understanding Non-Interactive Mode

Step 2: Create Your First Script

Step 3: Schedule Scanning (Windows Task Scheduler)

Step 4: Schedule Scanning (Linux/Mac cron)

Step 5: Error Handling and Logging

Step 6: Monitoring and Alerts

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Workflow Guides
Step-by-step guides for complete workflows