# Database storage on (SMB-)network volumes with German Umlauts

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398>\
**Category:** DEVONthink\
**Created:** [October 27, 2023, 8:06am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398 "2023-10-27T08:06:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/olli)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 8:06am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/1 "2023-10-27T08:06:13Z")

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Hi,

due to space limitations on my Mac and quite big databases, I need to store my database(s) on a NAS. Yes, I know that this is officially not recommended… 😉

However, the storage itself on a SMB volume works like a charm, but I have one big problem: German Umlauts.

Mac OS saves all files as UTF-8 decomposed, the Samba server delivers UTF-8 composed. This leads to the problem that documents with Umlauts in their names cannot be accessed anymore.

So how can I solve this issue? Would you alternatively suggest the usage of another protocol? AFP is IMHO not the best option as it isn’t developed furthermore, NFS is originally without user auth (yes, kerberos is available, but causes problems on some Mac OS versions…)

Thanks,

Olli

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 8:18am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/2 "2023-10-27T08:18:49Z")

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The issue is _not_ the protocol but the underlying filesystem. Afaik, newer. Samba implementations should convert the filenames on the fly.  
Which NAS do you use?  
Also, an external fish might be a better choice than a NAS.

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**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 8:24am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/3 "2023-10-27T08:24:18Z")

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> [@chrillek](#):
>
> fish

Fish? 😉

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**Author:** ![olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/olli)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 8:32am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/4 "2023-10-27T08:32:10Z")

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The only question is if trout or salmon… 😉

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 8:34am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/5 "2023-10-27T08:34:36Z")

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Aren’t external fish what you use to store data, one of these dried cods?  
Did I mention that I do not really like the autocorrection on iOS (and this is version 17, supposedly with AI – so there must be something to use fish for external storage).

Anyway, back to the original question from @olli: Here’s what I have on a Synology in _File services/SMB/Additional settings/macOS_:

 ![Bildschirmfoto 2023-10-27 um 10.30.30](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/4/f/4f505f1ff733c3a098952d82b3b4bcc7fbe97961.png)

That works without a flaw here.

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**Author:** ![olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/olli)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 8:35am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/6 "2023-10-27T08:35:29Z")

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I am using a Synology Nas, SMB 3 protocol. Maybe another problem between chair and keyboard on my side regarding the configuration?

External hard drive is nice, but as I have all my paperwork within DT, I replicate the data from my NAS to other locations daily. The NAS is there, anyway and (principially) has the capability to hold the data…why spend more for something which is already there?

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**Author:** ![olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/olli)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 8:36am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/7 "2023-10-27T08:36:45Z")

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IIRC, that option is enabled by default on DSM 7 and higher, but I’ll have a look later on when back at home.

Thanks! 🙂

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 8:52am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/8 "2023-10-27T08:52:25Z")

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> [@olli](#):
>
> Maybe another problem between chair and keyboard on my side regarding the configuration?

See my other post. As to the external SSD vs. NAS: Your choice, your decision. I have to access my NAS via WLAN, which is not the best idea for SMB (or any network file system). Therefore I don’t use it to store DT databases.

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**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 10:14am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/9 "2023-10-27T10:14:57Z")

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> [@chrillek](#):
>
> Did I mention that I do not really like the autocorrection on iOS (and this is version 17, supposedly with AI – so there must be something to use fish for external storage).

😂

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**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:05pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/10 "2023-10-27T13:05:37Z")

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> The NAS is there, anyway and (principially) has the capability to hold the data…why spend more for something which is already there?

People are often using WiFi so performance and reliability is a concern. Hardwiring on gigabit Ethernet is recommended. Also, networked volumes are well known for disconnecting spontaneously. Ethernet is more robust and reliable but that can’t alleviate all the potential for disconnection.

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**Author:** ![olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/olli)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/11 "2024-01-01T15:07:23Z")

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Happy new year, everyone!

I just realized that I never posted my solution to that topic.

Due to copy activities, I managed to mess up my database containing a mixtures of UTF-8 composed as well as UTF-8 decomposed filenames, causing DevonThink not to display those documents with German Umlauts.

The solution I took was to get a neat tool “convmv” ([Index of /linux/convmv](http://www.j3e.de/linux/convmv/)) and renaming all files inside the database to the (correct) composed version:

`(path_to_convmv)/convmv -f utf-8 -t utf-8 --nfc -r --notest ./`

Execute this when within the database directory, maybe you try it first without the “–notest” option to see what would happen…

Again: you only need this, if the filenames are already messed up like in my case…I just wanted to post it here for info…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/12 "2024-01-01T16:25:04Z")

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Happy New Year to you and yours as well!

Have you done a **File \> Verify & Repair Database** after you ran your shell commands? If not, you should.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@olli](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/olli)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/database-storage-on-smb-network-volumes-with-german-umlauts/77398/13 "2024-01-01T19:35:09Z")

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Ok, thanks for the advice!