It’s a very unfortunate pattern of behavior indeed and DxO should get rid of it in cooperation with Apple…or at least by introducing some database maintenance.
When I delete a file with finder, DPL deletes the sidecar a second later approx. It looks like DPL deletes the database entries for developments at the same time.
Apple’s User Guide is describing the function like this:
I understand that, whatever is stored in iCloud, can be replicated to the Mac. This would mean that, unchecking “Optimize Mac Storage” can lead to data only being on iCloud and not on your Mac - depending on whatever is “enough” space. “Optimize Mac Storage” basically means “Optimize Mac Performance” by keeping copies of files in iCloud on your Mac…which is the contrary of what the unsuspecting user will understand.
This behavior means that it’s a good idea to always have more free space available locally than the files take on iCloud. Still, the function - and the user guide text - are kind of twisted.
attn. @StevenL