Beta 2 DTP individual files won't open...

DEVONthink Tips
1

Used to be I could double click a file to open it in an individual window… or choose the “open” button, or control-click open.

Now, nothing is working to open files for editing except “reveal in finder” and launching the native app.

Suggestions? Anyone else?

Intel Mac w/ 10.5.6

2

Did you try Data > Open With…? And what kind of file are you trying to open? Anything in the system console?

3

Thanks for getting back to me.

OK: I’ve found a way to reproduce the problem 100% of the time.

First, here are the symptoms:

  1. double-click a file does not open it
  2. menu: file/new window does nothing (this is the easiest test)
  3. service shortcut keys do not work (or work intermittently)

I deleted everything with the word “Devon” in it from my drive.
Reinstalled DTPb3.
choose file/open database…
everything works as expected.
register program
everything works as expected.
quit program.
open program
choose file/open recent (and select only entry)

(it opens, but I >also get< a create new database dialog, which I have to dismiss. Other than that…)
everything works as expected.

I can choose the open recent/dismiss create new/ test/ quit as many times as I like, and everything works as expected.

However… If I choose Database Properties/ use as default… bingo: I get back both problems mentioned before.

100% repeatable.
-----------later
fwiw, this (incorrect action) also happens if I doubleclick the database itself to launch DTP.

I have rebuilt the database to no avail, as well.

4

Interesting - it sounds like we are having similar problems. But just so that I am clear, are you saying that (amongst other anomalies you’ve found) if you double-click a DT database file it doesn’t open?

IW

5

Nope…if I dblclk a file within a database, it doesn’t open in a new window… under the circumstances described above.

6

Let me rephrase the question:

From your quote above, it seems that if you double-click a DT database icon in the Finder, then DTP itself doesn’t launch, or if it does launch then it doesn’t display the selected database.

(I’m not referring to the other issues you mentioned, such as files within a database that don’t open in a separate window, etc.)

Have I got it right?

7

No, you do not have a correct understanding of what I’m trying to say. Doubleclicking a DTP database in the finder does launch DTP.

However, that sort of launch produces the same results in DTP that setting the file as default does: failure to open windows within DTP, either via clicking the file in DTP or by choosing New Window from the DTP file menu.

The only way to get around those issues is to launch DTP by Dblcling on it in the finder, and then choosing File/open to open the database.

Is that more clear?

8

Tvalleau,

You’re absolutely right: I do not understand what you are trying to say. So,why don’t we try this - below is a post I made in another thread. Is any of what I describe in that post similar to your problem?

"Default Database in DTPO 2.0b2 doesn’t work
by inkwell3 on Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:38 pm

Whenever I set a database as the default in v.2.0, the next time I open DTPO I see no databases at all (I have four) and then can’t get them to open by any other means, such as double-clicking on the database files, selecting ‘Open Recent’ or ‘Open Database’ menus, or by choosing ‘New Window’.

The only workaround I have found is to quit, open DTPO 1.5.4, then open any old database, quit 1.5.4, open 2.0 (which never fails then to start up without a database window regardless of preferences), and finally to select the database I want using the Finder.

Anyone having similar problems, or able to suggest a solution?

IW"

9

OK, I’ll try one last time, and if it’s still not clear, I’ll have to give up. There are two scenarios involved. Here they are, step by step.

Scenario #1:

Without DTPO running:

  1. go to the finder
  2. doubleclick on a DTPO >database<
  3. that will launch DTPO

  4. within< DPTO go the the file menu and choose new window.

4a) nothing happens (no new window is created)

  1. choose Search… from the tool menu within DTPO
  2. search on something you know is in the database.
  3. when the results window opens, doubleclick on the file shown there
    8) file does not open in a new window

(Now quit DTPO before trying the following.)

Scenario #2:

Without DTPO running:

  1. go to the finder

  2. doubleclick on DTPO application (NOT one of it’s databases)

  3. that will launch DTPO

  4. within< DPTO go the the file menu and choose open…

  5. navigate to the database file you want open, and choose open

  6. within< DPTO go the the file menu and choose new window.
    6a) New window opens

  7. choose Search… from the tool menu within DTPO
    8) search on something you know is in the database.

  8. when the results window opens, doubleclick on the file shown there

  9. file DOES open in a new window

I’m sorry, but I cannot explain it any more simply than that.

And…

Yes, the symptoms you are seeing are what I see, to some extent: Once Scenario ONE has taken place, other databases do not appear to open. (I believe they do, however, because you can do a find on them and get results.)

SO, my suggestion is that you try Scenario TWO, and see if that works for you, as it does for me.

Without DTPO running:

  1. go to the finder
  2. doubleclick on DTPO (NOT one of it’s databases)
  3. that will launch DTPO

  4. within< DPTO go the the file menu and choose open…

  5. navigate to the database file you want open, and choose open
10

Thanks, Tvalleau, for taking the time to do that long post. Much appreciated. It’s clear that you and I are experiencing very similar problems.

I am still trying to find the cause and will let you know if I come up with anything.

IW

11

Thanks, IW. DT CTO says they cannot reproduce it.

12

Try running DT Pro/Office either within a new User account, or after booting into Safe mode. If you can open documents properly, this would implicate software extensions (hacks) that are installed in your current User Library and cause errors. Third-party extensions are disabled in Safe mode, and will not exist in a new User account unless/until they are also installed into that User account.

13

Thanks for the suggestion. My Bad: I should have mentioned that I’m a Mac developer, and that was about the second thing I tried. Exact same results. (Tried it again, just now… ditto.) Then I tried a perfectly clean install of the OS. Same result.

I’m sort of floored that you cannot duplicate it, unless you’re testing on development machines which may have configuration support issues of their own.

There are no haxies on my machine.

14

Likewise my end, Bill. Tried both methods, no solution. I’ve run through everything I can think of at least twice. It’s the first time I’ve really felt stumped by something on a Mac.

15

I’m sorry, I couldn’t reproduce this. All scenarios work as expected. Nothing in the console? Same results after deleting the preferences or using a new user account?

16

Christian, thanks. Same results after trashing preferences or in a brand new user account. And nothing in the Console.

IW

17

Speaking as a programmer, it’s a windowing issue. (no File/new window; no windows on double-clicking a file within the database.) The database does, in fact open, since you can search on it.

So my first thought as a programmer would be that the code path for file/open and file/open recent is initializing something that is bypassed when a default database or open-by-proxy (launching by clicking on the database) is chosen instead.

File/open traditionally does set up things from scratch. The proxy launch should, but obviously is not.

Finally, this did not happen in the previous version.

Sorry, but at this point, I’m out of ideas… although I’m still happy to help try to track this down, of course.

18

AHA! beta 4 fixes all these issues.

Thanks, folks! :slight_smile: