Confused by Sync Options

DEVONthink Tips
1

I would appreciate some help getting sync to work the way I’d like, or to understand that my desired setup is impossible.

I have a Mac mini, MacBook Air, iPhone and iPad (running iOS 9.3). In general, the Mac mini is my main machine. All of my data exists there (backed up to the hilt, of course) and the MacBook Air and iOS devices are only extensions to access that data. I’m using the latest DevonTHINK 2.9 on my Macs and, once the newest version is released, DevonTHINK to Go on my iOS devices.

For various reasons, I’ve chosen to employ DevonTHINK to only index (not import) folders (containing many subfolders and files) on my Mac mini. Yesterday, I set up sync to my MacBook Air, but the results were unexpected. What I had hoped for was a copy/access of my Mac mini DevonTHINK index, on my MacBook Air. What I got was a copy, on my MacBook Air, of all of the indexed files on my Mac mini.

From what I’ve understood about the upcoming iOS release, DevonTHINK to Go will allow you access to a DevonTHINK index/DB, and will not download onto your iOS device all of the files referenced in that index.

How do I do the same for my MacBook Air? I don’t want a copy of the indexed files on my MacBook Air. I only want 1) the index, 2) with the option to retrieve the file from my Mac mini.

2

Just disable the option “Synchronize contents of indexed items” of the sync location on the MacBook Air. Afterwards indexed files can be downloaded on demand (see “Download” button of preview pane or menu item File > Download not yet available files"). However, the files will be downloaded to the original location as it’s a synchronization, not a thin client.

3

As a side note: You are never looking at the data on the other machines, ie. your MacBook Air isn’t looking at the files on the Mac Mini. It is always looking at local data. (Imagine what happens if your Mini is turned off or your out and about away from it. You’d have absolutely no access to the data at that point.)
And obviously, you’ll have to be on the same network as the Mini, if you want to download the content.