[hexomancer]

> where are you storing the amount each file was changed since the last parent folder update

The same place we store the rest of the file attributes?

I think my design does make a lot of sense but you are actively trying to not understand it.

[ComputerGuru]

Then each time one file changes you need to read all other files in the same folder to determine if the net change satisfies the increment condition for the parent folder!