DTPO 2 will not open 2 of my databases...HELP!!

DEVONthink Tips
1

Hello everyone, I hope someone can help. I have emailed DT support on this but so far no one has responded. Here’s the deal. I have become totally dependent on this software. I maintain a large database for all of my research articles (pdfs mostly) and related items/snippets etc. This file has grown to more than 2 gigs in one year! I also maintain an admin database to keep track of most admin related email messages. I simply use the built in key combination - when in mail - to import messages into this database. I have some other smaller databases as well, but the research data and the admin databases are my primary databases.

I have been using these databases on an external drive (500 GB G-Drive Mini) that I shuttle between my iMac and my MacBook Pro. For some reason, I can access and open all databases fine on my MBP but on the iMac when I boot DTPO it will open my two smallest databases (not the two mentioned above). WHen I manually load my research data base, it loads but has an icon of a pencil with a strike through beside it. THe other database, the admin db won’t load no matter what i do. Can’t load it from finder…can’t manually open in DTPO. Something has happened on my iMac…I dont understand. I actually deleted DTPO and reinstalled it…to no avail. Also, a new admin account does not change this behaviour. HELP!

Thanks in advance.

RJD

2

Hi,

i had your problem when i forgot to close the database manually on one computer, the other couldn’t open it.
What do you mean by ‘manually load my research database’?

Thomas

3

Hi difrance

I really have no specific knowledge of DevonThink, but some ideas follow.

Usually a file is locked because either someone locked it, or because it appears to be open in another application. Often when I have to force-quit an application, files are not closed correctly, but this usually solves itself when I reboot.

I presume you have rebooted your computer since this problem showed up? Have you looked at the files in question using “Get Info” in the Finder? Have you tried repairing the disk in Disk Utility?

4

Suggestion: Open the database(s) from your MacBook Pro, as you noted that they works on that computer.

Run Tools > Verify & Repair to check the database integrity. If there are no errors, choose File > Export > Database Archive and store the archive as a backup onto the internal drive in the MacBook Pro. That’s good insurance in case of a failure of the hard drive that holds your database.

I have some questions about your procedures that I’ll send in response to your Support message.