I have used DT3 to consolidate the duplicated files on my hard drive. After an import, I am shown, in blue/purple, duplicate files. I then right-click and “convert > duplicates to replicants”. I thought, that “duplicates to replicants” would only move the duplicates to the trash and leave at least one original. But I think sometimes DT3 gets this wrong.
I am now scared to empty finder trash. DT3 seems to be confused with what is a replicant, duplicated, inside DT3 and the finder trash. Once thought to be a trusted place, it is now a liability.
Sure DT3 understands that the the trash is not a place to store the original. But it does not. I believe it is putting the original in the trash and storing an “alias” in DT3.
It is also possible that the file was not imported properly in the first place. And so DT3 then updated its database after the finder trash was emptied.
How do I set any preferences, or do any procedures to stop DT3 from removing both duplicate and original to the trash?
Please be specific in your response. I have lost files I cannot get back.
All replicants (there’s no original, they’re all identical) are only moved to the trash after either using Data > Move All Replicants To The Trash (or its shortcut) or after trashing search results or results of smart groups/rules.
But DEVONthink doesn’t move any duplicates automatically to the trash by default, at least as long as you didn’t e.g. add triggers to the default Filter Duplicates smart rule or use other rules or scripts that might do this.
Thank you for replying I was not clear. I will clarify my request for help.
I have used DT3 to consolidate the duplicated files on my hard drive. After an import, I am shown, in blue/purple, duplicate files. I then right-click and “convert > duplicates to replicants”. I thought, that “duplicates to replicants” would only move the duplicates to the trash and leave at least one original. But I think sometimes DT3 gets this wrong.
