Short answer
Convert one test file, save the proven settings as a profile, then attach that profile to separate input and output folders. Keep Just Converter open while the rule is working.
When to use this method
Watch folders suit repeated arrivals with the same known settings. They are not a background Windows service and do not run while the desktop app is closed.
Watch folder behaviorWhen rules run, how missed files are handled and what can disable a rule.
- How it works
- New eligible files are processed while the app is running. After a restart, it can check for eligible files that arrived while it was closed. This check is called restart reconciliation.
- Important limit
- The app rejects overlapping source and output folders. Deleting the profile used by a rule disables that rule until you choose a valid profile again.
What you need before creating a watch folder
- One copied test file that represents the files you expect later.
- A saved profile that already produced a result you checked.
- One empty input folder and one separate output folder.
Create a predictable watch rule
Test the settings
Run the exact conversion manually. Open the result and check it.
You should see: one completed file that is suitable for the real job.
Save the profile
Save the tested settings as a named profile.
You should see: the new profile in the profile list.
Separate source and output trees
Choose one folder for incoming files and a different folder for completed files.
You should see: two different folder paths in the rule.
Filter eligible files
Include only the formats and naming pattern the profile is meant to handle.
You should see: only the intended file types in the rule summary.
Check for files missed while the app was closed
After the next launch, inspect any eligible files that arrived while the app was closed.
You should see: eligible missed files appear after the app starts again.
Checkpoint: prove the rule with one disposable file
Place one supported test file in the watched folder after its copy has finished. Confirm that exactly one expected output appears, the source remains available and the output does not return to the watched input tree. Only then allow the rule to process a larger folder.
If an expected file is not converted
Confirm that the app is open, the rule is enabled, the file matches the rule and the saved profile still passes the app's compatibility check, called preflight. Also check folder permissions and the per-file result. The app skips files that fail the rule, preflight, stability or permission checks.
The app checks size and modification time three times, two seconds apart, then confirms that no other program has the file locked. A file that is still copying or locked stays out of the job until it becomes stable.
Watch-rule problems
- Using overlapping input and output folders
- Using a synced or network file that never becomes stable
- Assuming the rule runs after the app closes
Automation checks
- The profile still exists and produces a valid file.
- Only intended formats enter the rule.
- Results do not return to the watched source tree.
Just Converter
Attach a proven profile to an input folder, keep output separate and review every file processed while the app remains open.