Deleted Database still showing up in DTTG

DEVONthink To Go Tips
1

I moved a number of projects from one database into two separate databases on my Mac DTPO. I then deleted the database in which the projects were originally located. Problem is that the old database is still showing up on my iOS devices and I can navigate the projects and view files in them. However, when I open the database in DTTG into which the projects were moved, I can see that the projects are there, but I am unable to open them and view/edit files.

I solved this on my iPhone by deleting DTTG and then reinstalling and resetting up the sync to my DropBox. However, the old database is still showing up as available. It is still remote as I haven’t set this to be viewed on the phone. I have set the other databases to be viewed and now I have full access to the projects in their new locations.

I have not done the same with my iPad. It is still as before, showing the deleted database with viewable projects, with the newly moved projects visible in their new location but not viewable.

Any ideas as to what is going on and how I might be able to rectify this? Shouldn’t deleted databases no longer sync? Shouldn’t they have been deleted from the server?

2

Sure, from the machine you deleted them from.

No. Why would deleting a local resource delete the Sync data? That would be pretty disastrous if you accidentally deleted a database on one machine.

You need to right-click the database in the Sync location in DEVONthink’s Preferences > Sync and choose Clean Database. You could also right-click the Sync Location and do a Clean Location if you wanted to remove Sync data for all databases Syncec to that location.

3

Thanks. The “Clean Database” had me stumped. Guess I was looking for “Delete”

4

Hi,

I’ve installed DTTG 3, and I’m a little confused about how to delete a remote DB.

I’m trying to delete a (CloudKit) database permanently everywhere from DTTG.

When I swipe to delete a database, it warns me that it’s permanent. Great! That’s what I want!

It deletes the DB locally but not the remote copy, it just turns off syncing and the remote is untouched. If I turn syncing back on all the content comes back.

I understand the decentralised nature of the DBs and get why this is a valuable protection against data loss.

But from the messages above it seems the only way to delete a DB is with the “clean” option on the desktop version - which I don’t have.

Is this the case? Is there currently no way to do this from DTTG3?

Thanks

=====

Update: For now I’ve turned on sync for the DBs I want to delete, deleted the content, emptied the trash and renamed them “ZZZ-deleted”. Then synced and deleted the local copy.

When I want a new DB I can recycle one of the ZZZ-deleted ones :upside_down_face:

5

You can clean databases from the sync location using DTTG:

Settings > Locations > tap on location and wait for databases to load > swipe left on the database > Clean

6

Hi,

Hmm, I can’t find a left swipe/clean on the locations/DB in V3 but did find a left swipe/clean on the location itself.

But the warning is:

“All sync data will be removed from location ‘iCloud (CloudKit)’”.

So it will erase everything in the location, i.e. ALL the databases rather than let me get rid of selected databases in the location itself.

I wonder if this is a limitation on the location type, in this case CloudKit?

7

@psidnell You do not wish to clean entire location as that will erase everything.

Try swiping on the database you wish to clean once more. It works for me fine in DTTG 3.0.1.

Edit: you can only clean the database (and verify etc.) if syncing is currently turned on. Which is probably why you can’t swipe. So in the example below you would not get these options for the three databases that are not syncing to the device.

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8

Ok - I think I see what’s happening now.

As you said, the left swipe is ONLY available for databases where sync is turned on, mine weren’t.

So if you delete your local DB and then try to delete the remote, the swipe is disabled.

By enabling sync for the DB’s I don’t want I can delete the remotes - which feels a little counterintuitive.

The correct order seems to be:

  1. Left swipe on the DB in the location and and choose “clean”.
  2. The DB becomes local only.
  3. Delete the local DB in the main view.

But it’s solved, thanks!

9

Enabling the sync location is necessary as when it’s disabled you’ve effectively cut off communication to it.

1 Like
10

Does anyone know if clean database can result in data loss? My search has come up empty.

11

Sync data is not a database. They are separate entities. So if you clean a sync location, it has no effect on the local databases on your devices.

1 Like
12

Thanks for super quick response.

If I’ve gone ahead and the app disappears, should I be worried? :sweat_smile:

13

The app disappears? That would not be the effect of cleaning a sync location, unless you mean it crashed.

What version of DEVONthink To Go and iOS are you using?

14

Think it must’ve crashed, but didn’t get the usual unexpectedly quit dialogue for some reason.

I’m on DT 3.8.6 and MacOS 13.2.1.

The app has restarted though, I checked the sync, and it’s doing something :crossed_fingers:

15

So DEVONthink, not DEVONthink To Go, crashed?

16

Indeed.

Re sync, activity monitor says it’s happening. So, can assume resolved. Thank you.

I’ll update the other thread, directly relevant to my specific issue.

17

If it crashes again, hold the Option key and choose Help > Report bug to start a support ticket.

1 Like
18

The current version of DEVONthink is 3.9.