Getting the databases in a sidebar of their own

I am in the process of transferring to DT3 after using DEVONthink Pro Office for a long time. I have 27 databases that I am always jumping between and can’t figure out if it is possible to get the same setup in DT3 as in old DT with these in a sidebar of their own to the far left. The structure with just one sidebar doesn’t work for me since I am, for example, losing the focus in one database when switching to another, and opening and closing the top folder of databases makes me lose the focus of what I am doing.

I am working as a freelance software developer for more than 30 years and have put everything in my business in DT. This means a considerable amount of data, and I, therefore, hope that it is possible to break ut the databases in a sidebar on their own.

Skärmavbild 2020-03-15 kl. 12.08.11

That question has been quite a subject of discussion on this forum.

Start reading here - there are other related threads as well:

If you are looking for three-pane view (as in v2), all indications are it’s not going to happen.

Thank you for the information!
I tried to search the forum before starting this thread, but, as so often for me with English as my second language, I really didn’t know the exact words to use in my search criteria.

I am very sorry to hear that, and for me that basically means that I will have to stick with v2 as long as possible… :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

I try to avoid keeping 27 databases open as it slows down everything. You could always open up databases in separate windows. But anyway, we all have different workflows. I have three main databases I keep always open and the others I open and close on demand.

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That was a good suggestion that could work for me since, of course, not all databases have the same priority in my workflow. I just didn’t think about that :grin: :+1:

Such an improvement is actually in the pipeline (but it’s not going to be 3-pane view).

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Very much looking forward to see what that can be :grin:

And don’t forget the excellent Workspace function that—at a keystroke—can invoke arbitrary database groups when needed.

I use this in addition to my standing group of four databases open daily.

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Thanks, I will try out that too :grin:

Any chance you could elaborate on this please? It sounds very promising. Most of the problems (in my experience) with the lack of 3 pane view come down to the fact that the navigation sidebar in DT3 is very difficult to use once there are more than a handful of databases open. The ‘view’ allowed by 3PV is actually easy to replicate in DT3. If I could be so bold as to suggest, perhaps you could involve users such as @stanblues999 (and others who have very clearly demonstrated the data management benefits of 3PV in the other thread) in any beta testing of such a feature to see if it meets the needs of the typical 3PV user?

There will be an option to change the sidebar like this:

See Feature request DEVONthink Pro 3: 3 pane view & tabbed windows - #17 by atdnorth

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This would be excellent.

If not asking too much, could the bottom pane view be preserved for each database, so that when returning to a previously selected database, expanded folders would display as they were the last time the database was viewed?

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I agree and also think that sounds very good.

That’s at least planned.

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“THE PRESERVATION” of the expanded folder status for each database would be a Life Saver for me. pls… make it happen… pls… without this, jumping between multiple databases would be remained painful but unavoidable work… it’s horrifying… really…

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Am I reading your answers correctly as envisioning a flat list of open databases at the top of the Navigation pane, with a section below that shows only the folders in the selected database, and no others? If I then choose a different database, the section below changes to show the folders of that database, with the view from previous use preserved? If so, that sounds like it would go a long way to restoring much of the information management functionality lost in DT3 and would be very welcome.

I’d also like to repeat my suggestion to have some of the forum users who have clearly demonstrated the restrictions imposed by the loss of 3 pane view help with testing – it would certainly help with figuring out a replacement for 3 pane view.

Thanks for your engagement with this issue.

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@cgrunenberg This sounds like a reasonable compromise. Is the option to select multiple groups in the side bar to view only documents still planned (like mentioned here: 3 Pane view in DT3) now in conjunction with the sidebar pane redesign? If so, then looking forward to 2.5 view! :laughing:

This is also planned but no promises that this will be part of the same release - it’s better to have a good release sooner than a better release a lot later :slight_smile:

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