Watch Folders

Status: This page describes the target watch-folder behaviour. Recursive watch-folder workflows are in development and validated during controlled access; the proven prep path today is operator-run jobs.

Watch folders are designed to let Forge monitor approved media directories and create preparation jobs when new media appears. This is useful for ingest workflows where media arrives continuously.

How It Works

When you configure a watch folder, Forge is designed to monitor the directory, including subdirectories. When a new file is detected that matches the folder's filter criteria, Forge can queue a job using the folder's assigned preparation settings.

Recursive watch (including subdirectories) is in development and validated during controlled access.

Job Creation Rules

Each watch folder has preparation settings attached to it. Files that match the filter are processed with those settings. There is no hidden per-file logic or automatic editing decision.

Files that do not match the filter (e.g., sidecar files, metadata, unsupported formats) are ignored. Forge does not modify, move, or delete source files.

RAW-capable watch-folder workflows are planned through Forge's Resolve-enabled mode (in development). Supported camera RAW workflows will require DaVinci Resolve Studio installed and running on the same workstation.

Safety

Watch folders follow the same fail-closed behavior as manual jobs. If a file cannot be processed, the job fails and is logged. Forge does not skip files silently.

Permissions matter. Forge must have read access to the watch directory and write access to the output location. If permissions are insufficient, the job will fail at creation time rather than mid-process.

Do not configure watch folders on system directories or directories with high churn from other processes. Forge is designed for media ingest paths, not general-purpose file monitoring.