File Monitor is a lightweight app intended to notify users whenever the selected files and folders are modified. In this respect, the tool monitors changes in not only the item’s modification dates but also their contents. In the case of folders, it also alerts you when the number of files it contains is altered.
The application has a very straightforward interface. In fact, you can set everything necessary without leaving its main window. It is excellent that monitoring multiple items is allowed. You can start by including files and folders in a list, which you can easily do if you drag and drop the elements onto the interface. Moreover, it is possible to do so via the Add File and Add Folder buttons.
There are multiple options you can pick according to your specific requirements. It is important to set a monitoring period. However, I do not see the point in not allowing to do it permanently. Then, you can check the kind of modifications you want to watch. In this regard, it is possible to use Boolean operators if you want the alert to be triggered when a single type of modification is detected or otherwise when a combination of them occurs.
After this, you can decide how you want to be notified. What is more, you can use a redundant set of notifications. For instance, you may be notified with a beep, an alert box, a bouncing icon and even a spoken message. Likewise, the tool can send an email to the desired recipient. Unfortunately, the product could not always detect modifications, such as deleting files or duplicating them, when I tried it.
In general, File Monitor can you help detect modifications to any selected file or folder. At least, the concept is valid and useful. However, I do not know why it did not always work as expected. Fortunately, the product can be tried at no cost. Maybe you have better luck and it works right for you.
v8.1 [Jul 2, 2018]
A full recompilation has been made to be compatible with High Sierra, and as Universal Binary to keep being compatible with both old (PowerPC) Macs and recent (Intel) Macs.
The "How to install it?" paragraph of the documentation has been updated to explain how to install and launch the Application in particular under Mac OS 10.13 High Sierra:
Under Mac OS 10.13 High Sierra, if you're launching the Application for the first time, Mac OS' GateKeeper (which you can configure in the "System Preferences") will refuse to launch it because you've not downloaded it from the Mac App Store (but from our website). In this case, instead of double-clicking on it, all you have to do is to right-click on the Application's icon, and then select the "Open" menu. A message will appear in which you'll be able to confirm that you want to launch the Application (even if it was not downloaded from the Mac App Store from an Identified Developper).
