Imports Disappear

I attempted to import a dozen files (.pdf) or so from dropbox to my database. They did not get to my database. They went to the main trash.

The method I used was Import>Images (with OCR). I then selected the particular documents. They went through the OCR process. My settings are to take the documents to the “inbox of current database”. I also have checked Original Document: Move To Trash, which is exactly where my files went.

So I unchecked the “move to trash” box. I did the same import process, and the file went to the current inbox. The only problem was that I still had the copy left in dropbox. I also imported a file from the documents folder. It was successfully imported, but left the file in the documents folder.

So, that setting, “move to trash” is what I want checked when I scan. Do I need to uncheck it each time I want to import a document from some other source? Is there any way to automatically delete the original document when I import it?

Thanks for the help.

If you used File > Import > Images (with OCR) on selected PDFs in the Dropbox folder (or any other folder), and had DEVONthink Pro Office Preferences > OCR set to move the original files) to the Trash, the original PDFs should appear in the System Trash after text recognition. And a database should now hold new, searchable PDFs in the location designated by Preferences > Import - Destination.

I don’t think the imports disappeared. In the Left Sidebar, click on the Today smart group, which should list the new items added to any open database today. Can you recognize any of the PDFs listed as those resulting from your import from the Dropbox folder?

If you see one in the smart group, select it and press Command-R to reveal its location in a database.

The option to move the original file to the Trash in the OCR tab of Preferences applies only to files that you want OCRed. For PDFs that don’t require OCR and other files, use the File > Import > Files & Folder command. You don’t have to uncheck the ‘move to trash’ option in OCR preferences.

Note that if you drag & drop one or more items in the Finder into the Inbox group (in the left column of a Finder window), it will be removed from the Finder location and will now be in your Global Inbox.

Bill:

You’re absolutely right, the imports did not disappear. When I checked the smart group area as you suggested, I found the missing files. Somehow they had been imported into one of my groups.

Not exactly sure how that happened, but at this point I’m ready to say it must have been user error. I know I was fooling around with the destination settings at one time. I didn’t think I had it moved to group, but perhaps I did it inadvertently. In any case, it appears that the missing files were routed directly into that group.

Everything is functioning as expected at this point.

Thanks much for the help.

the problem is that DTPO, despite it’s very intelligent classifying functions, is not user-friendly at all when navigating in it.

Search : very good
Classify : excellent
Navigate : bad

The Window behaviors are too far from typical Finder-Window-Behavior. You never k,now where you are, groups are not visible like folders and so on…

I often pointed this in many threads, and as i am obviously not the only user who has this problem, hope that one day this will be fixed ! :wink:

If DEVONthink doesn’t work for you, then what exactly would you change? Please be specific. Designers and developers can never know what customers want when they see “not user-friendly” – which is too general to be helpful and is guaranteed to be ignored.

If there’s a real problem, please explain it step by step and what you would want different.

Hi Korm, we talked about this already in another thread :

And also today i made again this suggestion:

I work daily with DTPO, and i love it, but it hassles me when AI doesn’t match, and when i have to find the right group.

The best would be in my eyes if the “Show Groups” window:

-were docked to th main window

  • always visible
    -act as finder (find groups, create new groups in it , rename groups, move groups…)
  • the breadcrumbs should show clickable “paths”

I know that you think that DTPO is not Finder and should not necessary act like finder, but in my opinion Finder (or Pathfinder, if you want) show how to manage folders/groups and files/documents…

Quick, fast, easy…

And you always know in which group you are . (Not necessary to click “Reveal…”)

The Groups & Tags panel is worth looking at. Choose Tools > Show Groups & Tags (note the keyboard shortcut). It floats above other windows, whether in DEVONthink or not (although DEVONthink must be frontmost to invoke it).

Groups & Tags will allow one to drag one or multiple items into any group in any open database. Or to tag one or multiple selected items by dragging into a Tags group. Double-click on a group in Groups & Tags and the group will open in a new window, making it easy to create a new subgroup if desired.

But as I like to work on a laptop I don’t want it open when I don’t need it. Screen space is valuable.

If you are in a group and don’t know its place in your hierarchy, click on the Up arrow icon in the Navigation group, to the left in the Toolbar. It will let you “walk” back up your hierarchy.

I am working on 15" too, and with “Finder” and “Pathfinder” , there is always enough room to have a clickable Breadcrumb Path and the whole Folderstructure visible.

In the second pane, the group pane of the splitted window, the groups are not displayed any more when you are inside a group, this is exactly the problem ! IMHO in this window you should display the parent-groups also, and a main problem would have been solved.

And if you add in your group pane a quick-search entry field where you can type “ele” in order to see all subgroups with “ele” in it , this would really speed up navigation, there is no doubt for me.

This is a big problem : when working with DTPO, i have always dozens of DTPO windows that are open in background, but rarely the one that i need.

But if i want to open one in a new window, cmd-click (as in finder) doesn’t work. Another thing that could be as it is in finder, don’t understand why DTPO needs to make the difference?

I understand that you want to keep your own way for the navigation, but IMHO the user looses. Perhaps other users like these window and navigation-behaviors?

It’s a fact that on all reviews about DTPO in computer-magazines, DTPO get very good points for AI, but bad points for it’s “old-fashioned navigation interface”, so i know am not completely alone :slight_smile: