Dropbox sync woes

DEVONthink Tips
1

Just some feedback on syncing and the recent 2.9.17 release.

I’ve been using Dropbox to sync my databases for years. I knew that there were risks, but the simplicity of simply saving a database to a cloud synced folder was worth it. Never had a problem.

Today DevonThink Pro suggested I upgrade to version 2.9.17. Which I did. Now it won’t let me open my database unless I move it. I’m afraid that I felt rather like being held hostage.

I had to accept the option of DT moving the database so I could get at it. But then it wouldn’t be synced to my laptop. So I had to go through the process of setting up sync in the recommended way, which I didn’t find particularly well described (how to sync an existing database? I didn’t realise I just had to open it, but where had it gone?).

It’s now syncing, fine, but what about my wife? She sometimes uses the database for our research. I know databases are absolutely not multi-user, so we make sure the other doesn’t have it open. It’s our risk, I know, but we were always free to take it - on our own heads be it.

Now she can’t access the database, because she doesn’t have access to my Dropbox account - she has her own. So, no problem, I think, I’ll just share the Sync Store (after working out what that is and where). Except Dropbox won’t let me share it.

Then there’s her iPad - I was about to buy DevonThink To Go and sync that, but it’s linked to my wife’s Apple and Dropbox account.

I read around and find out that we need a separate, third Dropbox account to share the database properly. A free Dropbox account gives 2GB storage - our database is 1.68GB and growing. So we would need to pay for a third Dropbox account.

I love DevonThink, been using it for 10+ years, but I’m seriously going to have to think about whether I continue. One upgrade, which looked to have some nice features, has utterly broken my workflow. I felt locked out unless I change the way I work. This isn’t great for users.

If anyone can help suggest a way to allow me to share, with all caveats, a DT database between two people on MacOS and iOS, I’d be very grateful.

2

The choice to make this restriction is because what you were doing is not data-safe (and never has been). We have many Support Tickets confirming this and seen too much data-loss from people being unaware of (or ignoring) our warnings.

Dropbox’s API doesn’t let us link to more than one account at a time, so you could not Sync to your personal account and a shared account from DEVONthink or DTTG2.

You could easily set up a free Box.com account for Shared access Syncing. As of today, they offer 10GB for a free personal account. And though this is no advocacy of Box.com specifically, they do allow Syncing to more than one account at a time.