DT3 Annotations disappear

Since today I try out DTP3. Here’s a hint: After annotating some pdf-files, the annotations just disappeared from the sidebar-Window (Annotationen & Erinnerungen).
It also probably does not work to synchronize the annotations across two devices in the network.

1 Like

+1.

Mine maybe don’t vanish entirely, yet at times they seem to be overwritten by previous versions?..

This seems to happen when I highlight a document I am reading-annotating simultaneously. I don’t have anything complicated like two devices, although I will often have more than one Devon group/window open.

Since I like annotations a lot, I have started defensively copying my in progress annotations to clipboard. I also have started keeping a window open to the related annotations group and continuing annotations there. This way I can more directly monitor whether the file has been saved or not.

(As a side point - I have attempted to locate the annotation template. It doesn’t seem to be available for editing?..)

Are you both running beta 2?

Yes, running beta 2. I can not figure out the time of the disappearance of the annotations. They are just gone. Maybe it’s related to switching to other programs.

Do you still use both version 2 & 3 to open the same databases on your computer?

I still have Regular Devon 2 so that might have happened at the outset. I’ve been working with DT3 exclusively for a few days now, and this sudden reversion of annotations still can happen.

My workaround has been to create a custom template off of the file I’m working with (see below) and then once I’m done, I create an Annotations > New From Template file, which contains the title-named Back Link I want. I then copy my temporary custom file into the fresh new template file, and lastly in another window confirm my new annotation has been properly saved. If all looks good, I delete my custom-template-temp file and move on to the next.

Quite the workaround for not (yet) having the ability to modify the original template, right?


My custom annotation is not much more than a modified Journal template that includes the strings below…

Silo: %databaseName%
Group: %groupName%
Top Group: %topGroupName%

I don’t need author/user information, nor the provided date stamp.

(By the way what is the placeholder string for file name?..)


Cheers!

It’s %recordFilename%. By the way, you can insert placeholders also via the contextual menu.

I would like to add that I have annotations disappearing in intermittent fashion as well when using the side-bar. DT3 Beta 2. Sometimes it happens as I type, other times when I move to another file and come back.

It’s annoying because its intermittent so difficult to track down. When I reveal the annotation and type in my details in a dedicated window the problem seems to disappear.

Still a problem in DT Beta 3 also in a open annotation window. It seems like the content is overwritten during a refresh or similar e.g. I type and suddenly all new text disappears and the annotation document reverts to a previous stage (stubbornly).

Do your databases contain indexed items and are these files/folders changed in the background (e.g. by a cloud sync)? Or do you sync your databases automatically/periodically? A screenshot of your setup might be useful, thank you.

All very standard so a screenshot not likely to help (not a indexed item, no iCloud sync for the database in question etc…). Next time I hit the problem I’ll record the actions in more detail and forward them to you for assessment.

Especially in case of multiple windows a screenshot might be nonetheless useful.

Ok - will do so when the problem arises again (window setup has long changed since my report).

This is a problem for me too. Annotations (and highlights) will disappear from the Inspector view of a doc (where I have made the annotation), even though there is still a separate annotation file created. It’s also odd that when I’m annotating a PDF, even after I’ve saved the doc (Ctrl+S), when I close the file, it asks me if I want to save. It’s all a little unreliable at the moment, and it’s happening too frequently to be a one-off. I do have my database very occasionally synced via Bonjour to one on a laptop, but haven’t done so for a while so it’s not that.

The upcoming Beta 5 has some modifications in the behavior of Annotation files and the Inspector. It also has some changes regarding saving PDFs. Please stay tuned.