"Error Opening File" for root items

Hello there. I have pdf, cbz, and cbr files I read via an external ssd I connect to my iPad for this app. Normally, after connecting the external drive to my ipad via USB C connection, I’m able to access that specific library and able to quickly select and view a comic. Lately, I’ve been having issues where, if an item is in root, or within only one folder, I can’t open it. I get an “Error Opening File” no matter what I do. I have some series within folders, and when I get that error, I simply go back a folder or 2, and then click back into that series folder, and I’m able to open any cbz/cbr/pdf within that folder.

I’m thinking this has to do with indexing. It’s strange that indexing has to occur everytime I connect my external drive to my iPad, because I already had “.Panels” files from when it indexed (or I thought it was indexing at least) way before. I’m also wondering if this has to do with the latest update or not, because I’ve only just started having this issue. Been using the app for a year now, and didn’t have this issue beforehand.

I bring up indexing as a possible issue because whenever I click to see the status after I connect my drive, not only is it indexing once again (even though I’ve indexed all my files a year ago so I could have an optimal reading experience), it doesn’t even show that it IS indexing. What I mean is, it’ll say “indexing 0/40 files”, and then stay stuck there. Hmm… yeah I’m not 100% sure what’s going on, let me know what troubleshooting steps I should take for this.

iOS support for external storage via USB is quite finicky. I suspect that iOS is disconnecting and reconnecting the drive, and the previously indexed routes change.

Does this happen with files stored on the device?

No, it doesn’t. So it must be with the USB external storage I’m using. I have mitigated this issue by simply placing loose files in folders, to sorta “trick” this indexing process and I no longer get errors. The only reason I’ve been using external storage in the first place is because my iPad storage is incredibly low. For the future, I should be fine. I’ll probably get a higher storage iPad at some point though, for better performance.

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That’s interesting. Could you describe how the folder was organized when it was behaving weird?

What I’m getting from your last message is that having empty folders is the cause of the problem. Is that so?
I’m a bit confused by the workaround :sweat_smile: