MacMini M1 2020, DT3 Using 3.9.14 in Sequoia 15.6.
I created a DT3 database and used “Index Files and Folders” to create an index of one of my Mac folders. DT3 created an indexed folder within the DT3 database That worked fine. I then added some groups and content to that folder using DT3. This included links between the files and groups. And all worked well. Then I added and deleted some of the file within in the indexed folder on my Mac using MacOS finder and noticed that the additions and deletions did not propagate to the DT3 database. So, I selected the indexed folder within DT3 and used the “Update Indexed Items” command. But my changes still didn’t show up in DT3. So then I selected the database and used the “Update Items” command and that didn’t help either. Finally, I selected the database and used the “Index Files and Folders” command, selected the Mac folder and DT3 created another folder with the same name. So now I had 2 indexed folders within the same database. The one I’d just created did have all of the changes I’d made in the Mac folder. The initial indexed folder still did not have the changes I’d made in the Mac folder, so I moved it to trash using DT3. And now I discover that the file and folder links in the most recent indexed folder no longer work. When I click them I’m just taken to the database root. I’ve discovered that when I go into files (RTF’s created with DT3) in the mac directory, open one of the files and click on the links, I’m taken to the deleted files within DT3 trash. I really don’t want to rebuild all of the links individually, but if I restore the deleted files to get the links to work, then the updated content in the indexed folder doesn’t show up. So I guess my fundamental question is how to update indexes within DT3 when the content of the indexed folder changes. What is the proper method for making those changes?
Some screenshots (of your finder folder(s) and what you indexed in DT) might make understanding the issue easier.
Apologies; Trying to explain the backstory just confused the issue. I think just stick to the fundamental question. If I’d made the changes right in the first place, I think all of the links would be working fine. So, the question is: Once a Mac OS file folder has been indexed in DT3, what is the proper method for adding content to that indexed file folder so that the changes in the Mac OS folder will be reflected within its DT3 Index?.
What you seemed to describe is the way that should work: add stuff to the folder, and it gets added to DT. That’s what I do nearly daily with my scanned files.
That’s why I was asking for screenshots. It’s easier to see what you see than to try to understand what you say that you think you’re seeing.
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I’m working on BLUEFROG’s reply. I just don’t know how to express the issue with screenshots. If I’d documented the problem when I first noticed it, I could have provided screenshots of the disconnects between the Mac folder content and the Index within DT3.
For an indexed folder:
- Add a file in Finder - it will show in DT.
- Add a file in DT - it will show in Finder.
The problems with indexing come when you move files around or delete files in Finder (particularly if there are sub-folders). My experience is to only organise and move documents within DT. They will be reflected in Finder. Moving or deleting in Finder often ends up with 'missing links’ happening.
If you delete a document in DT from an indexed folder, it is not deleted in Finder until you empty DT’s trash.
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You’re indexing a local folder, not something in iCloud or so? Or on a NAS?
Yes I’ve read the help and manual. I thought I understood it and applied : “Individually indexed files: While it’s certainly feasible to index individual files, be aware these files won’t be updated automatically. This is due to the potential overhead of watching many individual files versus watching one folder. In this case, you can also use the [File > Update Indexed Items](file:///Applications/DEVONthink%203.app/Contents/Resources/DEVONthink.help/Contents/Resources/pgs/menus-file.html) command or the file will be updated when you select it again.” But I must have done something wrong, because “Update Indexed Items” did not update the DT3 index to match the Mac folder contents. And rather than ask for help at that point, I went ahead and created another index of the Mac folder. And the links within that new index don’t work. Here’s a link from the new indexed group: x-DEVONthink-item://29BBB072-E0ED-4FD3-9C1F- and here’s the link pointing to the same content in the previous indexed group (the one that’s in the trash): x-DEVONthink-item://29BBB072-E0ED-4FD3-9C1F-DDA8B189D1DD which is the same link I see in the RTF when I check through OS Finder. When I click the link in the RTF in Finder, it takes me to the proper location in the index that in Trash. When I click the link in the DT3 index that is in the Trash, it only takes me to the database root, not the DT3 file. And that’s the same behavior as when I click the link in the current DT3 index file.
I have not yet emptied the database’s trash, It still has the deleted index in it. I don’t know if restoring the deleted files might restore all of the link functionality or not. Or if I deleted the trash, would DT3 revise the links in my current index NOTE: I did just try one of the links from the files in Trash and they didn’t work either. Clicking on them sends me to the current database root, but not the file within the index. Maybe the linking problem I’m seeing is not the result of
Yes, you are correct. At this point, I’m thinking maybe I better restore the files from Trash, confirm that those links all work and then focus on getting parity between the Mac folder and the DT3 Index. I replied to BLUEFROG’s responses and perhaps he’ll have some sage wisdom for the issue. From what I can tell, File>Update Indexed Items should have taken care of the items I added to the indexed folder, must have done something wrong.
Ugh!
Well, it looks like I need to clarify some things in my rewrite of the help. Adjusting and clarifying for the next release.
You can index individual files and they will update when you select them. They will not update with external changes if selected in DEVONthink. Say I have an indexed RTF file selected in DEVONthink. I open it in TextEdit, make some changes, save it, and return to DEVONthink. I will not see the view/edit pane update to reflect the change. I can manually update via the File > Update Indexed Items command or just reselect the document.
Also, it is almost certain the items in your trash are holding up the updating of the indexed items. This is well known and documented.
And you should not be indexing the same Finder folder multiple times in a database.
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It looks like some of your reply is missing.
Thank you for your prompt professional responses.
Yes, I noticed that after I posted. I was trying to say …not the result of my putting a second index of the Mac folder into the database.
You can still edit after posting – click on the pencil icon below your post 
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You’re welcome.
Is this a single Finder folder you’re dealing with?
You could Control-click it in the Finder and compress it, empty the database’s Trash, then check if anything untoward has happened.
It’s a single folder with many sub-folders. I’ve now emptied the Trash of all the old index files, Closed DT3 and restarted my Mac. Unfortunately, no change, links still don’t work. I’ve tried “Update Indexed Items” and no change.
I don’t know if it helps but here are the links to a group within the index. This particular link goes to one of the groups within the index.
Link In DT3: x-DEVONthink-item://8A167921-B818-4E80-95FD-5A554E82921F
Link In MacOS: x-DEVONthink-item://8A167921-B818-4E80-95FD-5A554E82921F
Link I just created to that same group in DT3: x-DEVONthink-item://43A1FAC4-0666-4E00-BFBC-EC7020C93E91 which works fine by the way.
Thanks for the reminders. I’m pretty sure that’s well explained in the DT3 help and other Published instructions. I didn’t respect the process and just figured that “Update Indexed Items” would fix all the changes I’d made in the indexed folder.
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