I was able to open my PE database with the Pro beta and everything seems to work fine. My only question concerns converting the PE database to the new .dtBase format (the “package” format). The readme file says:
There is no .dtBase file in my Documents folder, and my PE database appears to be unchanged except for new modification dates. Is the conversion supposed to happen automatically? Or should it be done manually, by exporting the database from PE and then reimporting it into Pro?
This happened automatically for me when I ran Pro for the first time. Is it possible that PE was open when you did so? In amy case try a search for ‘.dtBase’ in case it’s somewhere else.
The only .dtBase file in my computer is the tutorial I downloaded yesterday. And I’m quite sure that PE was closed when I first opened the Pro beta.
I don’t keep the database in my Documents folder, but in another folder of my startup disk, and there’s no .dtBase file in that folder as well. DT Pro anyway knows the location of the database, which is correctly shown under Database Properties. And if I check the “use as Default Database” option, the database is opened every time I open DT Pro.
I’m experiencing the same thing. All works ok, (GREAT) but there is NO new .dtbase that Pro has created. It uses the same old 1-10 files like PE did. And it won’t open the old files upon Pro startup, I have to open manually upon launch.
It also does not recognize the old files in the Open Recent menuitem, so I have to hunt for it each time I open it, using the normal Open command.
Nothing happened automatically when I opened Pro the first time. DTPE was NOT open, and in fact I had trashed it and loggedout/in again before running Pro the first time. I heeded the admonitions not to have both versions installed.
BTW, Kudos to the team for the long awaited Pro. It is definitely faster and better. $$$ on the way.
I made sure DTPE wasn’t even recognizable anymore by stuffing it. When I first started up DTPro it spent a good while importing the PE database (it reported on the splash screen what it was doing). I just checked and I do have the .dtbase file in my documents folder.
ChemBob
I’ve now made the old 1-10 files the default, so it does open automatically on DTPro startup, so that helps.
So now that it’s basically ‘working’, should I care about this? Is there any disadvantage in opening the old files?
Can this be done manually? Should I bother?
Will it rain today? 
PS: I just paid! I feel like I’ve finally joined the exclusive club of DTPro users! 
It works here too, but only with the old 1-10 files. I’ve tried to move the PE database to the Documents folder and to delete the Pro .plist file, but Pro still does not create the new .dtBase package.
A failed conversion to the new database format is something that should interest the developers. After all, we are all beta testing now. By the way, has this ever occurred to any of the previous beta testers?
Alright this is frustrating. I deleted my old copy of DT Personal and started up Pro. I get the new database, but it’s empty. My old one is not being transferred. So much for beta.
Relax, man. How about giving us a bit more info before dismissing a beta most of us have no problems with.
Eiron
Sorry, that came out harsher than I meant! I guess I’m used to DT being so simple and this hasn’t been for me. I don’t know what to say, I read through the Read Me and followed the instructions. I just end up with an empty database. Is there anything I should be aware of that the Read Me might have missed? Is there any way to manually import what is in those 10 files from DT Personal?
I’m using 10.4.1
Thanks.
Jweber:
Sorry for the frustration.
Apparently the presence of DT PE in the Applications folder (perhaps recently run) can confuse the DT Pro beta on startup and opening the old DT PE database.
Users who had archived (zipped) the DT PE application seem to have the new DT Pro database placed into their Documents folder when they first open the DT PE database.
I’m not sure what’s going on, but here’s a sure workaround to convert the database to the new format, while at the same time leaving your DT PE database intact.
[1] Locate your DT PE database in /YourUserName/Library/Application Support/. The database is contained in the DEVONthink folder. Make certain that DT PE is not open.
[2] Copy (Option-drag) the DEVONthink folder (not just its contents) to your Documents folder.
[3] In the Finder, select (don’t open) the DEVONthink folder.
[4] Click on Info to open the Info panel.
[5] Type the suffix “.dtBase” (without quotes) in the Name & Extension field, then press Return, confirm that you do want to add the suffix, and close Info.
That does it. You still have your database intact for DT PE, but you have converted it to the new DT Pro package format and are ready to explore DT Pro using your existing data.
Note: Although it’s easy to move a DT PE database into DT Pro, don’t assume that you can as easily move a DT Pro database back to DT PE by removing the suffix you added. As you make use of new features in DT Pro, such as sheets/records, new file types and so on, your database will become not fully compatible with DT PE.
Bill, thanks a lot! That worked like a charm.
So out of curosity will the Backup to another destination be activated in the final release?
No problem. Come to think of it, I had a few hassles when I first moved to Pro too. Didn’t mean to jump down your throat.
Glad, but not surprised, to see Bill fixed your problem.
Eiron
You want promises, promises? 
Actually, it’s easy to copy DT Pro package databases anywhere you like, including copying to an external device. That’s what I do. But make sure the database isn’t open at the time.
Since the package files are double-clickable, there are fewer glitches with moving database files around. Much more location-independent than DT PE.
Thanks – It worked for me too.
I do like the single file aspect of backing up in Pro, that’s nice. The one thing that intrigues me about the backup option (greyed out) is that you can set it for auto backup (daily, weekly etc.) which is nice. Especially since the problem with backups (in my case) is remembering to do them!
Bill, you need a new title. (and RAISE ) You’re WAY beyond Evangelist.
Many thanks for helping with what was a vexing problem. NOW I can get comfortable with the new build and move forward.
PS: I hope you’ve made a note that the docs or release notes should illuminate this issue.
In PE I had chosen to copy all my PDFs into into the database which meant they resided in a folder in the DT folder. When I used the method of changing that folder to Pro by changing the suffix, it combined everything into one database which is nice, but now there are no external PDF files. Since I still have a copy of the original PE folder and PDFs is there a way to setup Pro using the suffix method that will keep the PDFs out of the database (spearate but linked)?
In Pro as in PE there’s an option for copying PDFs to the database folder but since the database is now a single file in Documents, where is the database folder? Is it ~library/Application Support?
Thanks.
Hi,
the database is a package, look in there, and you find the database folder.
Maria
Thanks Maria.