Database Size - how big is too big?

DEVONthink
1

DEVONthink 4 Q. I Searched the forum and don’t see a recent post on this topic.

My primary database has grown to 13 GB of data, and reports 27 GB on disk.

I’ve noticed performance has degraded. I’m wondering if I’ve just grown to the point where the database is too big and I should think about breaking it up. Curious what experience others are having with large DBs.

My hardware is a 2024 Mac Mini with 2 TB of disk space (plenty available) and 32 GB of RAM.

2

The raw size is secondary, the number of items and words (see File > Database Properties) are more important.

3

Others can comment, but doesn’t sound too big. Mine are bigger in disk space. Perhaps do the at this juncture:

  • post the screen shot of database properties Menu → File → Database Properties … that’s useful info.
  • specifically, what is the “performance” you notice degrading? Searching? Something else?
  • Have you done a Menu → File → Verify and Repair yet? Anything in the log?
4

thanks for the quick engagement

  • yes I have done a verify & repair. all good.
  • the degradation I’m noticing is in the responsiveness in the UI. when I click on an item, or expand a group. this includes search yes.
  • here’s the properties:

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image510×323 33.8 KB

5

Forgot to ask, what specific version of DEVONthink and macOS?

6

What kind of item? And how many items do your groups usually contain? Any inspectors visible at the same time?

7

You have almost 33,000 indexed items.

  • Why?
  • And from where in the Finder are they indexed?
8

thanks for that note. I investigated and turns out there was a recursive copy of one node in the hierarchy that generated an extra 25K. After correcting that, I’m now down to 7K indexed.

This index is of a folder in my Finder hierarchy that lives in iCloud and stores a long history of documents.

9

Are the files stored locally as well?
Also, start a support ticket as I suspect one more thing may be going on under-the-hood but we need logs to inspect.

10

Thanks. I may do that but it already does feel snappier. I’m going to run it a few days and if still sluggish I will log a support ticket. Appreciate it. fyi here is the current after my cleanup in Finder:

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image514×352 59.5 KB

11

This is the guidance I refer to if I need to check I’m under the suggested size limit:

1 Like
12

Wow… a marked reduction! And you know where to find me :wink:

13

thanks. so I’m well within those parameters. appreciate the data