I’m sure this is a question that has been asked many times — my apologies. I have searched the posts and found some great comments — but I’m still uncertain regarding some aspects of my question.
I want to create a database for my collection of video files. I have about 500 gb (and growing). I will be keeping the actual files on an external 5 tb drive. I really don’t want to split the files into smaller databases — as I think that would make the database less useful.
- I would appreciate any suggestions — or comments — regarding the best way to do this.
- Should I import the files into a DT database or link to them? What are the pros and cons of each?
- Regarding linking (which at first glance would seem to be more feasible), what happens if I want to edit, delete or move files to a different folder? Can that be accomplished in DT — or do I have to do that In the Finder?
All comments are sincerely appreciated.
Six words (and five characters): Help > Documentation > In & Out > Importing & Indexing.
Read it. Understand it. It will help avoid future sorrows 
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Thank you for pointing me there.
I think I understand how indexing and importing work now — and the advantages of each method. I’ve read the information you suggested. I’m also watching MacSparky’s excellent course — and I’ve read portions of the Take Control book.
I have actually been using DTP for years. My conundrum arises from the video database I want to create. The backstory is that I recently used MDRP to convert all my physical DVDs to iso and mp4 files.
I wonder if I might ask one more question. Considering that I want to use DTP to organize and work with what has become almost 1 tb of video files, is there any performance difference between indexing and importing? I’m leaning toward importing because it is simply cleaner and neater — and, as I understand it now, it really shouldn’t make a difference because DTP is simply moving those files to a different folder within its framework instead of an external folder. It should be the same in that respect. Is this correct?
Thanks again for your help.
I apologize for taking a step back. But why do you even want to put your private (?) video collection into any database? For textual documents, the advantage is obvious: searching for “play it again, Sam” will take you to the relevant part of the document nearly immediately. Not so much with a video.
I guess, for a video, you’d only need the metadata in the database (authors, actors, director, 2nd assistant to main grip and so on). But the video itself –what’s the point if DT (or any database) can’t play the movie itself anyway?
I’d go for a folder structure that permits to easily locate what I need and index that into DT.
You can ask as many as you need to ask
And there should be no performance issue if importing or indexing unless the indexed files were on a mounted network share or a connected external that sleeps. In the latter case, you could have a pause while the drive spins up if it’s a platter/non-SSD drive.
However, regarding syncing I would ask if this is (1) necessary, and (2) the entirety of the collection??
I am keeping the video files on a 5 tb external spinning drive — attached via USB-C to a thunderbolt port on my iMac. The performance is fairly snappy. I don’t think the drive sleeps by itself, though.
I do want to keep the entire collection in the database and up to date at all times.
That presents another question. For space reasons, I want to keep the video files on the external drive. Even though I actually have a 2 tb drive in my iMac, I don’t want to fill it with video files that are only used occasionally. SO — if I import the files, I assume I would want to keep the database on the external drive since the video files would be contained in the database. Is that correct? If I index the files, should I keep the DTP database file on the external drive or within the normal DTP database folder in my user folder on the iMac — since, in that case, the database file would be smaller because it does not contain the videos?
SO — if I import the files, I assume I would want to keep the database on the external drive since the video files would be contained in the database. Is that correct?
Yes, imported files are contained in the internals of a database so putting the dtBase2 file on the external would be a good idea in your setup. However, note an import is a copy, so you’d want to either Command-drag into the database in DEVONthink or use File > Import > Files and Folders with the Move Originals to Trash option enabled…
If I index the files, should I keep the DTP database file on the external drive or within the normal DTP database folder in my user folder on the iMac — since, in that case, the database file would be smaller because it does not contain the videos?
Your choice, but since there is little indexable data in your media content, the database should grow too large.
I think I fully understand it all now. Your help has been awesome. Thanks again.
You’re very welcome and thanks so much for the kind words! I really appreciate it (on a Monday no less! )
PS: How do you feel about the quality of thr rips from MDRP ? I have a project I’m working on and thinking I might have need of such an app. Handbrake is available but knowing about other options is always a good thing.
I’ve used MDRP for many years. The rips are excellent — better than anything I’ve tried. But I have never used Handbrake. MDRP setup is very straightforward — not a lot of tweaks needed. I should tell you that the reason I recently did my entire DVD collection was because I was told that the developer would not be updating the program beyond version 9. That turned out not to be true. Version 10 came out recently. Still, DVDs will eventually go the way of VHS — so I think it’s a good idea to get everything digitized. MDRP has dropped its price to $29.95 for now (from $59.95) — half price.
Nice! Thanks for the info
