DT4 pro - export pdfs

DEVONthink
1

Tto borrow from the Aeneid, this is a tale of weariness and a man.

For no apparent reason other than weary from all day writing a report, I found yesterday early evening (UK) when searching my Law library that a pdf of a caselaw report which I knew I had I couldn’t find. On checking the Finder folder indexed to a DT4 database, most of the approximately 30,000 pdfs weren’t in the Finder folder - meaning I must’ve inadvertently deleted the files in DT4.

I have Time Machine backups of several folders for my Law library - several caused by the muddle - so this morning restored all the Law library folders into Finder, meaning I now have between one and 3 duplicates of each original. To avoid anything like that happening again, I created a new DT4 database and imported (not indexed) all the pdfs from the Finder folder, with the intention of deleting the duplicates one by one. With all the pdfs in the DT4 database, I shall delete the duplicates so when that’s done I can copy/paste from DT4 into a new folder in Finder, the aim of having one folder of pdfs in Finder and a DT4 database imported with the same pdfs as in Finder.

My first mistake was in thinking that the smart group “Duplicates” only contains the duplicates. What I didn’t realise is that it also contains the originals for comparison. So having deleted hundreds of pdfs and emptied trash before discovering the mistake, I copy/paste and or drag/drop from the Finder folders all the pdfs - the net result also an increase in the number of duplicates, total number of files now approximately 42,000.

To experiment how to export from DT4 to a Finder folder, I read that I can export a file and a folder or copy/paste / drag and drop. But because of what I also did, I don’t have a folder in the DT4 database. I selected all the pdfs in DT4 to copy and paste into Finder folder. However, nothing happened, no indication. Thinking DT4 might’ve hung, I checked, but ok. i tried to copy and paste again. nothing. So I forced quit DT4.

DT4 is very forgiving. All the pdfs are now in a DT folder “Orphaned Files”. To get them into a Finder folder, I started by adding a group folder in DT4. After a while, I thought it would be a good idea to have 27 group folders, one for each letter of the alphabet and one for pdfs that start with a figure, I put the individual folder I was working on into Favourites. Having got as far as folder D, guiding the pdfs into the folder using the mouse slipped and about 100 pdfs ended up on Favourites.

I removed them all and to abvoid that happening again added 27 sub-folders to the Finder folder, and embarked upon the tedious task of selecting all the pdfs for each letter in Ophaned Files and copy/paste or drag/drop into the respective sub-folder. (All the pdfs are named so sort alphabetically.)

My question are: is it possible in DT4 to export Ophaned Files to a new group folder? Or is it simply a case of drag/drop and/or copy/paste from the Orphaned Files?

Wishing you a happy and healthy New year.

M

2

  1. DEVONthink isn’t a general deduplication utility.

  2. While having a database of redundant PDFs isn’t impossible, what’s the use case?

I copy/paste and or drag/drop from the Finder folders all the pdfs - the net result also an increase in the number of duplicates, total number of files now approximately 42,000.

Please don’t tell me you are moving around 42,000 files at once. Also, I would not recommend you copy and paste. Drag and drop is appropriate and sufficient.

All the pdfs are now in a DT folder “Orphaned Files".

Orphaned files occur when DEVONthink finds files inside the database’s internals it knows nothing about. This is not a normal occurrence. Where did you copy and paste or drag and drop to in the Finder? If it was inside the database’s package, that is not something you should do.

is it possible in DT4 to export Ophaned Files to a new group folder?

Export where - inside the database? If so, there’s no need. Create a group. Grab some documents and either drag and drop from Orphaned Files, choose Move to from the context menu, choose Data > Move to to open the Move to popover, or classify to the desired group via the See Also inspector.

3

Noted, thank you.

  1. The use case is to have two complete Law libraries: one in DT4 database, one in a folder in Finder. DT is superior and easier to use for searching.

    I won’t tell you (I did try). Drag and drop with 2 screens is I find not that straightforward.

    I copy/paste or drag/drop to a folder in the Finder.

    I thought the answer to my export question would be no need. “grab some documents’” takes time when there is approximately 42,000 files to.move. I’ll try the Data > Move To.

4

It is inadvisable to try to move 42,000 files at once. Even in computing, the old adage is still true: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. You should split the task into much smaller batches.

1 Like