How does iCloud sync work in DT 2.9?

DEVONthink Tips
1

Hi,

Can anyone explain how the iCloud sync mechanism works?

At the moment I have a 50mb database stored in my documents folder on my macbook. I’ve selected the sync via icloud option and the files have been synced there. I’ve also got a mac mini and I have been to the sync window, put in the database name and downloaded the synced database. So now both Macbook and Macmini have the same 50mb database stored in the Documents folder for each of them.

However, I noticed that if I go to iCloud Drive from finder then there is a devonthink folder. Presumably this contains the syncing files? Anyway, this folder is also 50mb. Does this mean that I now have a copy of the whole database in my Documents folder PLUS a second copy in the iCloud Drive folder? I.e., Instead of there just being a 50mb local copy my machine now effectively has the 50mb local copy PLUS the iCloud Drive copy (which also appears to be local) used for syncing?

I’m confused, I don’t really want to be wasting space on the macbook with two copies of the database. Can anyone explain how this mechanism works?

Apologies support team if you are reading this (I emailed to ask the same question before I found the forum).

Thanks.

2

iCloud Drive sync locations use a local sync store in your iCloud Drive. Depending on the contents of your database this might almost double the locally required disk space.

3

Ah, I wondered if that was it. There isn’t a way to exclude this then like there is when synchronising via dropbox then?

4

No. It’s how the iCloud mechanism works with our Sync engine.

5

I am doing a trial run of Devonthink but I am confused.

There are several places where it is suggested that a Database be created in ~/Documents.
And there are other places that day “do not put your database on the iCloud”.

Since by default, the ~/Documents folder is on the iCloud could someone fill me in?

thanks

6

This is not quite correct. This is an option you choose to allow or disallow.

You are either reading external resources or out-of-date information here. For some time now we have been advocating storing databases in a folder in your Home Directory, like ~/Databases.

7

OK, here was one place it says ~/Documents. FWIW…
Thanks for clearing it up.

8

No problem. Cheers!