I’m looking to share a DB which ranges in size over time between 1.5-2gb. My preferred solution is to put it on a webdav server so changes can be synced whilst my colleague is out of the office - e.g if I scan a doc which they need “right now!”, I can sync to webdav, and they can then sync in order to download in the field. Client in the field would be using both DTtoGo and DT on OSX.
I’ve been using this technique for some time outside DT (using Forklift.app at my end, Cloudsafe.com and Notebooks.app on iPad at the client end) and it has proved 100% reliable for docs which are too big to email.
I’ve got two questions:
Do folk here consider this will work reliably using DT?
How best to set it up? I’ve seen threads which seem to suggest that using DT sync to upload an entire database can be problematic, so I’m inclined to use an FTP client. Should I just upload the DB via FTP client and then import it from webdav using DT sync, or set up a local (LAN) sync store, and then upload the contents of that sync store to webdav?
Configure a database’s sync with WebDAV by first creating a WebDAV sync location and then syncing to it.
It will be as reliable as your WebDAV server is reliable.
Uploading the database (the .dtBase2 package) to your WebDAV server and then to your remote client will result in two (three, actually) unsynchronized instances of the database – which I don’t think is what you’re looking to do. Create the sync store on WebDAV.
This seems like a lot of work if all you want to do is share a few file updates from time to time. I’d suggest making a folder on your WebDAV server that you index – or simply indexing a folder in Dropbox – and using that for hot updates. If you sync the database on the two machines with a local store while both machines are in your office, and then use that hot update folder for changes when the machines are in different regions, you might get the outcome you want with less fuss.
how to - thanks for the advice - understood. I’ll experiment with the (brilliant) indexed hot update folder idea - hadn’t realised that Finder can mount a webdav directory until you suggested it! Sadly Dropbox cannot help - systems need to be compliant with UK regs concerning protection of sensitive data, and that means the cloud piece has to be hosted in the EU.
What I really want is to be able to import to the DB once and then forget - time to see how the collaborative workflow ‘works’ in practice.
The DEVONthink Pro Office server might be another choice. Your remote collaborator can up/down load documents, make notes, etc., and you are both working with the single instance of the database hosted on your office computer (in the EU). Look in the Manual for configuration help to make the DEVONthink server available to external users.