Scanning to shared folders overwrites existing files

[KesslerB]

I have a Color LaserJet MFP M281fdw that I have configured for scanning to a network folder. The printer is running that latest firmware available, 20220414.

Each scan to the network share overwrites the previous scan. The prefix is set to "scan" so I would expect the scans to have an incrementing counter, something like "scan0001.pdf" and "scan0002.pdf" and "scan0003.pdf" and so on, but that's not what happens. Every scan is named "scan.pdf" and overwrites the file that was there before.

I have scanned to multiple shared folders on different computers and operating systems with no luck. How do I get the scan "prefix" to act as an actual prefix and not as a full file name?

[Repairatrooper]

You need to set the prefix to date or time in order to prevent over writing. 

[KesslerB]

Actually, I've just tried something new - the filenames increment properly when the shared folder is on a Windows 11 computer, but the filenames do not increment properly on a macOS Ventura 13.0.1 computer. (Yes, the Mac is sharing the folder out via SMB, and yes, the account used for the scanning has full read and write permissions to the folder and its contents.)

So it appears that incrementing file names breaks on Apple's implementation of SMB. Any Linux users able to test this out as well? Maybe it's a SAMBA thing?

[KesslerB]

While I appreciate your effort to assist, please take care to verify that your proposed solution actually works for the model and firmware version in questions, as this is not an option on the M281fdw.

In addition, please be sure to read the other comments and proposed solutions in the thread before diving in, as you'll also see that additional information and troubleshooting results have been provided.

[KesslerB · Accepted solution]

While I don't know exactly why this is the case, I'VE FIGURED OUT HOW TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

First, the problem appears to happen on Macintosh and Linux computers, not Windows computers. I would even go so far as to suggest that the problem is with Un*x-like file systems (like ext4, APFS, etc.), though I do not have the resources to prove it.

Second, the problem appears to be related to the GROUP memberships on the permissions at the file system level.

On both Macintosh computers and Linux computers, if the account used for writing the file does not have write permissions as BOTH an OWNER AND a GROUP member, files get overwritten instead of new files being created with incremental numbers affixed to the end.

For example, on a Macintosh that's sharing the scanned file destination folder, the owner's permissions should be Read/Write, and the permission for the "Staff" group should ALSO be Read/Write. As soon as I changed that permission, file name sequencing happened exactly as expected. When I set those permissions back to their default, the files names never incremented - subsequent scans kept overwriting the previous scans.

I don't know why the scanning process requires Read/Write permissions for both OWNER and GROUP - having it on the OWNER should be enough! - but my troubleshooting confirms that this is the case.