Anybody using Unison 2 or rsync to keep Devonthink synchroni

DEVONthink Tips
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Hi all

after much consideration I decided the only way to find out if imported libraries will suit me better than indexed ones is to just do it.

In principle I like the idea to carry around just a handful monolithic, self-contained databases without having to worry that something, e.g. a file-based synchronization utility, may accidentally wreak havoc with my DT databases and all files referenced therein.

It should be possible to use http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/ to keep those in sync and apparently jkyle is doing so already http://www.devon-technologies.com/scripts/userforum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9051&p=43711&hilit=unison#p43711

I would like to hear if that goes smoothly in the long run. In particular: Jkyle mentions using a script running every 30 minutes. Do you have to make sure it only runs when DTPO is closed or is this only a concern when the database is changed on the second computer?

Would love to hear your opinion. Rsync also an option, of course, anyone using that instead?

Prion

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I used Unison but only manually triggered. It was fine. I ran it when I knew that nothing was open and I’d only made changes on one side.

Running Unison when DT is open means that the database locks are also carted over to the other machine, which is annoying.

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Not just annoying; copying DT databases while they’re open is risky and never recommended.

In general there’s no reason why rsync and other copy/sync utilities won’t work, with dbs closed.

There’d be trouble referencing indexed documents that don’t exist (at all or in the same locations) on each system.

Bill DeVille (at least) has explained this sort of stuff in more detail in other threads, if you can find them. :slight_smile:

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I believe that if you unidirectionally shovel stuff from one machine to the other even copying an open database should not be a problem as such provided you shut down Devonthink on the first machine before opening the updated database on the other without fail. The most important interval would be the last one anyway. Leaving the office after shutting down Devonthink would transfer the latest state of the (now closed) database to the home computer. It takes me about 40 minutes to cycle home, thus setting the interval to say 30 minutes would only serve to make the home machine look like the one in the office, datawise.

It is a moot point anyway because the operational word here is in bold. If it went wrong just once then I’d probably be doomed and I am not going to let that happen easily.

It seems to me that catching the moment Devonthink is closed on one machine and letting this event trigger the Unison sync would be much more preferable. Any experience anyone?