To minimize this kind of issues, that happened to me so and then due Dropbox and Layer 8 incompetence, I have a TOC for each database, and I’ve manually added the amount of documents for each first level Group and check that periodically. As my databases are mostly unchanged and for reference and ordered by years, it is easy and fast to check.
Another safe-rule I follow at work and at home, is check trash bin before empty it. DT has two levels of safety on deleting files: first they go to DT Bin and once removed from that place, into macOS Bin.
My dream is to have one script that will count and verify at least number of files in each group.
Said that, I’ve never lost any non-indexed file if I haven’t manually deleted.
FWIW, I’ve had a number of files go missing on multiple occasions from a large indexed folder In DEVONthink. Fortunately, I was able to restore them using Time Machine. I’m really worried about using DT moving forward to index external folders. Before version 3, I never had this issue.
It’s definitely not a sync issue as the sync doesn’t use the Finder’s trash. Do you use any smart rules or scripts which delete items or move them to DEVONthink’s trash?
Had you emptied the system Trash before you restored the missing files so it would be clear you subsequent actions were involved? If, I suggest you do.
How exactly did you do that? I ask, because it should not be possible for you to open both the backup and the current version of the database at the same time; both databases must have the same id.
Yes I did… this is NO one time issue… It keep happening not matter what I do…
I did a database repair - no errors
Rebuild - OK
close and open the database - same
Ok, so what you are describing obviously should not be happening; I currently have no explanation for why it is happening. To further test what is happening, I would
try to move just one record from the backup database to the new database
does that work, or does the single file also end up in system trash?
Possible solutions could be:
use duplicate rather than dragging and dropping the group (so select the group, then from the context menu select duplicate to yournewdatabase)
use the export function to export the group, then reimport it to the new database
A question or two:
where are your databases located; specifically: are they on the internal drive in your Mac, or on an external drive, NAS oder even in the cloud?
is there enough space left on the drive?
do you have antivirus software running which might be interfering with the copy process?
do you have any other software which monitors folders and performs actions (such as Hazel, for example)?
Do the files appear even briefly in the new database when you move them, or do they appear to go straight to system trash?
Thanks for all that; if you can be bothered to experiment, you could
remove all content from the group, then move it
does it move, or does it got to trash?
if it goes to trash: what is the name of the group? Does it have any obvious defining characteristics?
if it moves, then repeat the same after removing just half the content
if that works, try with the other half
What I’m trying to figure is, is this something to do with the group, it’s size or it’s contents. Obviously, if duplicating works for you, then your problem is solved; so any further effort you put in would be for the community, potentially saving somebody else from the same problem. Thanks
Thanks so much for trying this; so at least on a basic level that suggests that the quantity or size of the content is the problem, not the content itself.
@yoda, for sake of being thorough (so perhaps I might be able to set up a couple of test databases and see whether I can reproduce what you have seen): you mentioned 1700 items; what is the total size of those items approximately? Is your disk formatted APFS or HFS? Are the databases encrypted or not?
@BLUEFROG, @cgrunenberg Dear Jim & Criss, I don’t think I can be of any further help in diagnosing whether this is a bug and what the cause might be. I hope the feedback which @yoda has so kindly provided might help you in pinpointing a possible cause or at least make for follow-up questions.
