How do I safely move a database?

DEVONthink Tips
1

I’m hoping there’s a simple and easy answer to this simple question.

I want to move my databases to a new hard drive with a fresh OS installation. I can find a lot of information, but no directions or advice. My current plan is to see if I can create a sync store on iCloud Drive, get the new hard drive set up and ready with DTPO reinstalled, and then sync it to that sync store.

Will that work? Are there hidden gotchas along that route? Is there a simpler or safer alternative?

Thanks in advance,
ttwoods

2

If you’re just moving the database, there’s no real point in using Sync. If you were adding a machine to your collection, it would.

Just find the .dtBase2 file for the database and move it to the new drive. Double-click it to open it in DEVONthink, when all is ready.

3

Thank you for the fast response.

To be clear, then, the .dtbase2 file contains everything? Simply copying that (package?) to a new location and opening it with DevonThink is all would need to do?

Thank you again.

4

Unless you’re indexing files. (If you don’t know what that is… it’s almost certain you aren’t. :wink: )

The default behavior is importing, which copies files into the internal structure of the database. This creates a self-contained, portable package that can be moved as one singular file.

5

Thank you again. I’m pretty sure I only index active projects that are not in DEVONThink. I’ll verify that before starting, though.