Automatic Import of Files from Apps that Sync w/Google Drive

DEVONthink Tips
1

I am pretty sure this is possible (and possibly easy), but I can’t conceptually figure out how to make it work. (I am very new to DT.)

I have two apps (Paperpile and Goodnotes) that automatically back up their files to folders in my Google Drive, both of which automatically sync to my laptop.

I want DTPO (or Hazel? IFTTT?) to watch these two folders and automatically import and OCR anything new without moving or erasing any files from the original folders (as it would mess up the app-specific syncs). Ideally DTPO would not delete any file that was deleted in the original source folder(s), but this is not a dealbreaker.

FWIW, the initial import will be about 1000 files and will grow over time. All files are PDF.

Thank you in advance for any guidance or direction.

2

DEVONthink is not going to “watch folders” on your system.

There are two methods of putting data in a DEVONthink database.

  1. Importing copies files into the internal structure of the database. This creates a portable, self-contained database that can be moved as a single file. This is the default behavior of DEVONthink…
  2. Indexing creates links to files outside the database. This allows more direct access to the files in the Finder by other applications or people. (A common example is people using a cloud service like Dropbox and indexing folders in the local Dropbox folders.)
    It is best used on fairly static locations, ie. you’re not moving the folders around in the Finder and renaming them. However, if you do index a location, you can update it in the database and it will change to reflect the changes in the Finder.
    Note: Indexing should be approached thoughtfully, and a search on our Forums is advisable, paying attention to posts by Greg Jones, as he uses indexing almost exclusively.

This will not work. This is a web service, not for use with local files.

We have folder actions you can install with Pro / Pro Office, but they should be attached to a folder before files are added.
Hazel would be a possibility too, if you own it or want to purchase it. A search on the Forums will yield simple AppleScripts for adding files to DEVONthink to embed in a Hazel Rule .