I use an APFS SSD to move files between my Mac and iPad Pro. Now when I connect the drive the files app shows only files that were present the last time the drive was connected. It is not refreshing its view.
I have verified the drive is good and all modified files are present. I’ve changed USB-C cables and hard reset the iPad Pro. But, for example, the files app is still showing files that no longer exist on the drive. Any suggestions?
You could try writing a file to the drive. I’ve had that force an update of iCloud folder that wasn’t displaying properly.
I’ve done a lot of testing of iCloud Drive lately because it has serious issues on one of my Macs. Getting a file from one device, up to the cloud (in a whole different part of the world than me) and back to another device right beside it can be done in around 5 seconds.
Why am I saying this? Because drives on my local network sometimes don’t update until I forcefully disconnect them or reboot one or both devices. I find it crazy that I’m saying this but Apple’s grasp of the cloud sync problem is better than their grasp of a simple file share.
And because it “just works” you’re given no control. 
As someone, I forget who, said a while back… it just works.
One difference is that Apple has full control over iCloud sync. On the local network they’re just implementing an existing standard (SMB, originally developed by Microsoft).
Fair point, but in my case it is one Mac to another Mac and I’m letting the OS do all the work — discovery, connection, transfer. Like, two wrongs should actually make a right here. 