Autorefresh contents of linked folders (like iView does it)

[mypointofview]

I’d like to see in a future version of DEVONThinkPro, that a linked folder will show new Finder items in DTP - sort of like an auto import. This can be done as proves the application iViewMediaPro.

Sometimes new items arrive via a download or so and to use DTP as “hub” to view and manage all would be very useful – without having to watch out always if there might not be some remote unknown data somewhere, which could become crucial for a project…

Could this functionality theoretically be implemented into DEVONThinkPro ?

Thanks,

Martin

PS: I made a search for “refresh” but couldn’t find any request like this. Shouldn’t such feature be demanded highly ?

[Bill_DeVille]

Hi, Martin.

You can attach a Folder Action script to a Finder folder that will cause new items saved or dropped into that folder to be Imported or Indexed to your database.

Read about Folder Actions in online Help. The scripts are provided in the DT Pro download disk image, in the Extras folder.

[mypointofview]

Basically this works but is far from actually useful, unless I has a very basic setup and use one single (default) data base.

1. When DTP is not launched, then the added file will trigger DTP to launch and the file will be entered into the default database if I want this or not.
   [/quote]

That’s correct. (How many database choices does iTunes give?)

But it’s not all that limiting. All new content goes into the open database, which is usually my default main database. But I have a number of databases and I periodically export information from the default database into my other databases.

Folder Actions is one of the neat features built into OS X and I use it.

But it’s not the only way to trigger captures automatically into DT Pro, as will be noted below.

2. I cannot write into the linked file.

Yes and no, depending on whether you used the Import or Index Folder Action script, the file type of the captured information and what you mean by ‘write into’.

My own approach, as I want self-contained databases, is to use the Import script. Almost all of the content I save to a Folder Action folder is in PDF file format. I can edit PDF files under Preview or Acrobat. But if I want to add notes or comment about PDF files, I add them to the document’s Comment field in the Info panel. If I were to drop a folder of rich text files into that folder action folder, the files would be copied into my database and would be fully editable within the database.

If one uses the Index folder action script the captured files are read only and must be edited in the original external files. There’s one-way synchronization from the external file to the display of the document in the database. That’s generally the approach I would use for Word .doc files.

3. The file which is added to the folder goes not into the Incoming box, as defined in the preferences, but to the root of the database where it can be overlooked.

True. Tip: If you set your top-level view to Three-Panes, all the new individual documents will be easily found.

One could also modify the script to send the material to a desired location.

I had hoped to have DTP “watch” the folder of my choice for new entries - so when I go the that folder within DTP, that any new item will show up automatically.

Maybe this is all too complex for now (after all DTP is still young), but a more natural behaviour here is certainly on my wish list. Think iTunes …

As iTunes is a single database, that comment isn’t really applicable.

But now I’ll suggest another approach that would let you designate Finder folders that will can be automatically synchronized to each of your databases when new content is found in that folder after opening each of your databases. That’s something iTunes isn’t set up to do.

In the finder, create folders A, B, C… for each of your databases A, B, C… When you save or modify content into folder A in the Finder, then open database A, select the corresponding group in database A and select the Synchronize command. Presto. The Index-captured content in your database corresponding to the content of folder A is updated in your database.

Then open database B, select the group corresponding to Finder folder B and select Synchronize. And so on.

That lets you specify the database to which new material is to be sent, and provides a method for updating each database when it is opened.