Linking Between DT Databases

DEVONthink Tips
1

Hi - I’m brand new to DevonThink. I"m wondering if it is possible to link from one document in one DT database to one in another DT database?

2

Not currently. I think there will be means of doing that in DEVONthink 2.

3

mr/dr deville,

i am not new to DTP but unfortunately do not know the answer to this question, which i think is probably pretty simply answered and may have already been addressed in previous posts, but i could not find it in DTP help or by searching the forum. i apologize if it’s repetitive.

i have several DTP databases - a huge, central one and several “dedicated” ones for specific projects. my guess is that you and devon advisors recommend one database for everything. if so, and i decide to merge/incorporate one or more of the dedicated, smaller DTP databases into the central huge one, is there a preferred way of doing so? is it “import”? cut and paste? i am unable to have 2 databases open at same time so remain puzzled.

thanks for any help.

rich ratzan

4

Actually, I often recommend multiple, topically-designed databases. I’m managing more than 150,000 documents among a number of topical or historical databases. I usually work on a laptop, and if I merged everything into one database, I doubt there would be room on my hard drive for it. If I could cram it on, performance would at times be very slow, even though my laptop has 4 GB RAM.

I’m spoiled. I like quick performance in my main database (about 30 million total words. I just did a couple of two-word searches for author names. One search took 10 milliseconds, the other 11 milliseconds.

Sometimes I merge or split databases. The best way in DEVONthink 1.x to move content among databases is by exporting content from the one into a newly created folder in the Finder (File > Export > Files & Folders), then import ALL the contents of that folder into the other database. That’s the best way to retain important metadata that may be associated with documents, such as the source URL of material captured from the Web, and keywords or notes that have been entered into a document’s Comment field in its Info panel.

Multiple concurrently open databases are coming in DEVONthink 2. That will be a convenience.

5

Bill

thanks! very helpful, as usual. glad to hear i am not only one who likes micro-projects cum respective micro-databases.

regarding the export solution:

i feel like click and clack, the car-talk guys - i need a dope slap! or, as homer would say, Duh!! i thought of idea to “import” into A but not to get what i wanted to import from B into shape for import (where “to get what i wanted to import from B into shape for import” = export!) or, is it immigrate or emigrate?

thanks again

rich ratzan