This is undoubtedly a stupid question, but… Having moved items that were in my database inbox to the Global Inbox after installing b4, I am at a loss as to how to then move them to a group in my database. I have tried:
Suggestions welcome.
This is not yet possible but will be in the next beta.
You could drag & drop to another open database in the sidebar, to another group/database using the groups panel or to another window.
I read this to mean the “Move to” function will be in the next beta.
The problem with dragging to an open database is that it just drops the record into the corresponding inbox meaning you have to deal with it again. I understand the groups window but that means I have to open it and it doesn’t move it but rather creates a copy meaning I then have to delete the original.
Seem like the “move to” function is the most reasonable but alas not working. It would also be nice if in dragging to an open database, the file-tree would expand so you could drop it where you want (if it could be done as a move as opposed to copy)
Exactly. I was really looking forward to the Global Inbox (I’m not a fan of the Sorter), but so far it’s a big disappointment. Dragging an item from the Global Inbox and having it end up in the Database Inbox is a waste of time.
I thought this is how the global inbox would work. There would be no database inboxes that were exclusive. Anything thrown into the global inbox would be accessible in any database. But since it looks like the global inbox will be used in ADDITION to database inboxes, there has to be a way of moving items to specific areas in the database, and not simply to yet another inbox.
So by whatever means I’m guessing, and praying, this isn’t the end of the the global inbox development.
Yes, as it is, the global inbox is almost completely useless to me. With the move function, it becomes somewhat more useful but best would be to allow access to it from any database.
‘Move to’ with deletion of the moved items from the source will come in a future release.
But in the meantime, the Groups view procedures not only makes it easy to copy selected documents to any chosen location in any open database, but also to delete the originals from the source location. Here’s a procedure:
In the source location (e.g., Global Inbox, but it can be any other location), select the content to be moved. Invoke the Groups panel with the keyboard shortcut, Control-Command-G.
Drag the selected items to the desired location in the Groups panel. Toggle the Groups panel off by pressing Control-Command-G. (Need not be done at this point, if other items are to be moved. The Groups panel may be left open as long as desired.)
The previously selected items in the source are still selected. Click Delete in the toolbar. The move has been accomplished. Repeat step 1) if more items need to be moved to another location.
You can drag items from the global inbox to a group in another database, not just its local inbox. But for now that always does a copy, requiring manually deletion of any unwanted items from the global inbox. If nothing more I’d like Command-Drag to force a move instead of doing a copy, similar to Finder.
Now that’s strange. I usually have my “general stuff” database open and I can see all the folders within it, so drag n dropping from the global inbox (open in its own window) is easy as pie. What I like is that it’s a “copy” rather than a “move” so my originals stay in the Global until such time as i feel comfortable deleting them.
I don’t understand how you do that. When I click on the Global Box, the folders for any open database disappear and all I can view is the Global Inbox.
Okay - I have a DTPO window open and it’s titled “Inbox.” This is the global Inbox. I also have my “general stuff” database open in a second window. General Stuff shows all the Folders (or Groups) in its left pane. These folders are collection points for letters, receipts, house projects, etc.
I recently clipped some things about bifold doors into the global inbox and later positioned the Global window next to my General Stuff window and simply dragged the bifold door stuff from Global to a Group called Bifold doors in the General Stuff groups pane. Presto! They got copied over.
I hope this explanation assists your understanding of how this works.
-Tod
You can do that without opening a second window by using the Groups. I think the point was we just want this to be straightforward and not require opening additional windows to do something simple.
Yup, it could definitely be easier to copy/move items from the global inbox to preferred destinations with only one window open.
As Christian has stated elsewhere, a future release will allow one to move (not copy) content from the Global Inbox to a destination in a database.
The comments above about how to accomplish that objective in pb4 are just that – what can be done in the current release.
Ok then…jeesh!
I guess my question is even stupider. I can’t find the global inbox. I am scanning things in and can’t figure out where they are going to. I only have one database, and they aren’t showing up in that inbox. Guessing where to find the global inbox, I did a >File>New Window>Inbox. I assume that’s it. My scanned documents aren’t going there either… but there are documents in that inbox that seem to go back in time prior to the latest beta… ??? I checked my Scanned Documents folder and they aren’t their either. In preferences for Import, it does say to go to global inbox. So how do I find it?
The Global Inbox is displayed in a slideout panel on the left of view windows.
The keyboard shortcut Control-Option-Command-D will toggle that slideout on/off.
The reason you found documents that go back to an earlier date is probably that items had been sent to the Global Inbox in the Sorter before it was activated. The Sorter held that content until Global Inbox became active, then transmitted those documents.
When you can’t find a file that you know was imported, choose Tools > History. Sort by ‘Added’ to identify the most recently added content. Select a new file and use the Reveal command (Command-R), which will display the location of the file. If you don’t see an obvious location, the file was added at the top level of a database. To see files at the ‘unfiled’ top level, click on a group to select it, then click on the same group using Command-click.
You can choose the destination of new content sent by scripts and Services in Preferences > Import - Destination.
Thanks Bill. I found the files and they are not in any folder. Import preferences is set to Destination = Global inbox. Its not sending them there though. Any idea what I might try to get them going to the right place?
Try the ‘Current’ destination and select the Inbox of the database to which the searchable PDF is to be sent.
I tried changing it to go to the Current database inbox, and it worked. I tried switching it back to Global inbox, and it now goes back to no folder again. Appears that my system can’t direct imports to the Global inbox for some reason.
I must say, this is a really terrible piece of UI design (you should excuse the expression).
Truly makes me wonder if any useability testing goes on between beta releases 