fix(watch): drop proposed_folder_auto; a recorded folder is never re-decided

The extra bookkeeping field showed up in Obsidian's Properties panel as a
second 'proposed folder' row, which was confusing.

Simpler rule replaces it: once proposed_folder is set it is never changed.
The owner edits it if they disagree; deleting the field asks for a fresh
suggestion.

sorter/watch.py

@@ -34,12 +34,12 @@ from .vault import Vault
 from .writer import FIELD_ORDER, Writer
 
 # Fields the watcher owns. Never present on a filed note.
-ADMIN_FIELDS = ("proposed_folder", "proposed_folder_auto", "proposed_toc",
+ADMIN_FIELDS = ("proposed_folder", "proposed_toc", "proposed_tags",
-                "proposed_tags", "confidence", "approved", "proposed_for")
+                "confidence", "approved", "proposed_for")
 
 PROPOSAL_ORDER = (
     "title", "type", "status",
-    "proposed_folder", "proposed_folder_auto", "proposed_toc", "proposed_tags",
+    "proposed_folder", "proposed_toc", "proposed_tags",
     "confidence", "approved", "proposed_for",
     "created", "updated", "tags", "aliases", "id",
 )
@@ -79,19 +79,16 @@ def proposal_is_stale(note: Note) -> bool:
     return recorded != content_hash(note)
 
 
-def user_selected_folder(note: Note) -> str | None:
+def existing_folder(note: Note) -> str | None:
     """
-    The folder the owner chose by hand, if they changed it.
+    The folder already recorded on a note, if any — chosen by the owner or by
+    an earlier proposal.
 
-    We keep the watcher's own suggestion in `proposed_folder_auto`, so a
+    Once set, this is never changed by the watcher. The owner can edit it, or
-    difference between the two means a human edited it. Their choice wins —
+    delete the field to ask for a fresh suggestion.
-    the watcher must never overwrite it.
     """
     chosen = str(note.fm.get("proposed_folder") or "").strip()
-    auto = str(note.fm.get("proposed_folder_auto") or "").strip()
+    return chosen or None
-    if chosen and auto and chosen != auto:
-        return chosen
-    return None
 
 
 class Watcher:
@@ -133,12 +130,13 @@ class Watcher:
     # ----------------------------------------------------------------- proposing
 
     def _write_proposal(self, note: Note, proposal: Proposal,
-                        preserve_folder: str | None = None) -> list[str]:
+                        keep_folder: str | None = None) -> list[str]:
         """Add the proposal fields to the note in place. Returns log lines."""
         fm = dict(note.fm)
 
-        # The owner's hand-picked folder always wins over a fresh suggestion.
+        # A folder that is already recorded is never re-decided. The owner's
-        effective = preserve_folder or proposal.target_folder
+        # choice wins, and so does an earlier proposal.
+        effective = keep_folder or proposal.target_folder
 
         # Resolve the real index + section so the proposal reads clearly.
         toc_rel, toc_section, _ = self.writer.resolve_toc(
@@ -152,7 +150,6 @@ class Watcher:
             fm["proposed_toc"] = "(not indexed)"
 
         fm["proposed_folder"] = effective
-        fm["proposed_folder_auto"] = proposal.target_folder
         if proposal.proposed_tags:
             fm["proposed_tags"] = proposal.proposed_tags
         fm["confidence"] = round(proposal.confidence, 2)
@@ -164,8 +161,8 @@ class Watcher:
             self.writer._atomic_write(Path(note.path), text)
 
         note_msg = f"**proposed** `{note.filename}` → `{effective}` "
-        if preserve_folder:
+        if keep_folder:
-            note_msg += "(your folder kept) "
+            note_msg += "(folder already set — kept) "
         note_msg += f"(confidence {proposal.confidence:.2f})"
         return [note_msg] + [f"  - {w}" for w in proposal.warnings]
 
@@ -263,12 +260,12 @@ class Watcher:
                             f"**held** `{note.filename}` — "
                             + "; ".join(proposal.warnings)
                         )
-                    elif not proposal.target_folder and not user_selected_folder(note):
+                    elif not proposal.target_folder and not existing_folder(note):
                         actions.append(f"**held** `{note.filename}` — no destination determined")
                     else:
                         actions += self._write_proposal(
                             note, proposal,
-                            preserve_folder=user_selected_folder(note),
+                            keep_folder=existing_folder(note),
                         )
             except Exception as e:               # never let one note kill the loop
                 actions.append(f"**error** `{note.filename}`: {type(e).__name__}: {e}")

tests/run_tests.py

@@ -326,27 +326,27 @@ def main() -> int:
             except OSError:
                 pass
 
-        # ---- watcher: the owner's hand-picked folder must survive ----------
+        # ---- watcher: a recorded folder is never re-decided ----------------
-        from sorter.watch import user_selected_folder
+        from sorter.watch import existing_folder
         from sorter.models import Note as _Note
 
-        def _n(chosen, auto):
+        def _n(chosen):
             return _Note(path="x", rel_path="010 inbox/x.md", filename="x.md",
                          stem="x", title="x", note_type="note", status=None,
-                         fm={"proposed_folder": chosen, "proposed_folder_auto": auto})
+                         fm={"proposed_folder": chosen})
 
-        if user_selected_folder(_n("300 areas/A", "200 projects/B")) == "300 areas/A":
+        if existing_folder(_n("300 areas/A")) == "300 areas/A":
-            print("PASS  guard: a hand-edited folder is treated as the owner's choice")
+            print("PASS  guard: a recorded folder is treated as already decided")
             passed += 1
         else:
-            details.append("FAIL  guard: hand-edited folder not detected")
+            details.append("FAIL  guard: recorded folder not detected")
             failed += 1
 
-        if user_selected_folder(_n("200 projects/B", "200 projects/B")) is None:
+        if existing_folder(_n("")) is None:
-            print("PASS  guard: an untouched proposal is not treated as customised")
+            print("PASS  guard: no recorded folder means the watcher may suggest one")
             passed += 1
         else:
-            details.append("FAIL  guard: untouched proposal wrongly seen as customised")
+            details.append("FAIL  guard: empty folder wrongly treated as set")
             failed += 1
 
         # ---- inbox cleared --------------------------------------------------