Any spotlight search/OneDrive/external drive solution?

First of all, you are not alone. Apple changed their policy about kernel and system extensions and both Dropbox, OneDrive, etc. had to be rewritten to use new Apple API's. Dropbox lost some functionality as did OneDrive and both are working to improve their software. There are missing features and bugs galore. It's going to take some time to work out all the kinks. Over the last few months Microsoft has fixed a bunch of things and I've been running the Insider Preview releases as we use OneDrive in a corporate environment. It's still not nearly as good as it once was. But it is improving. They recently re-added the Desktop & Documents backup that was missing at first. They also resolved some authentication problems we had with Ping Federation.

Your particular use case (the way you are using OneDrive) might not have been considered by the Microsoft developers. You are expected to put OneDrive in ~/Library/CloudStorage/<OneDrive-Name>. In Finder, OneDrive is now moved from a folder in your home directory to the Locations sidebar section. There is a UNIX symbolic link to the OneDrive in your home directory that points to ~/Library/CloudStorage/<OneDrive-Name> If you move your OneDrive location it may very well break things as you have discovered. Dropbox outright prevents its users from changing the location. Apple may be requiring the location for the API's to function correctly. It is not recommended to change the location there appears to be some special significance to the storage location.

I realize that might not be the answer you are looking for but it is what it is... I don't work for Apple and Apple doesn't take feedback on these forums. Both Microsoft and Apple have an excellent working relationship and since OneDrive has been improving, perhaps in future, Apple will take feedback from the cloud storage providers and increase their API functionality. The reason for the change was due to security and protecting the OS kernel. A bug in code that runs at the kernel level can crash the entire operating system or make the system vulnerable to exploitation by malware. Therefore, most all access to the kernel by 3rd parties is being removed.

MacChuckin wrote:

Hello,

I have a LaCie external drive on an M1 mac mini with Ventura 13.0.1. I have my OneDrive cache folder to be a partition on the external drive.

I have a folder set to "Always Keep on This Device." I have verified that they are there by turning off wi-fi and opening files. So, they do seem to be local to the hard drive. Finder/OneDrive shows the conflicting icons of "always on this drive" and "Not downloaded," though.

However, when I search in that folder, it only finds files with the keyword in the filename or ones that have been opened.

I have re-indexed both from the spotlight privacy settings and from Terminal. No go. I have seen lots of discussion but nothing that helps.

I assume that spotlight is re-indexed because it shows some files. Is that right?

I think this is a conflict with Finder and OneDrive, and they'll eventually (?) figure it out. But, just in case, has anyone seen any new info?

[OneDrive just updated as I was ready to post! I waited to see if this would be helped. I'm at 22.227.1030.0001 now. It doesn't seem to be different.]

Chuck

third party software

If in doubt refer to the developers website; Support/Help/FAQ/known issues/compatibility/updates/uninstall:

Contact a third-party vendor - Apple Support

About the OneDrive compatibility warning on Mac

About the OneDrive compatibility warning on Mac - Apple Support

OneDrive help & learning - Microsoft Support

Microsoft support is very responsive and helpful.

https://support.microsoft.com

Ask the Microsoft Community—quite an active resource

https://answers.microsoft.com/