Since my DT database is growing larger, and I really like managing files in MacOS Finder, I’m thinking of changing over to indexing files rather than importing. When creating an RTF file from within DT, how might I make sure it ends up as an indexed file on my Mac? Do I need to manually move every newly created file (“Move to External Folder”)? Or can this be automated? Ultimately, I don’t want any stray files in DT database we’re I to trash my database.
Do you mean indexing of files or rather „manually download „ under DTTG?
If manual download is available under UOS you will still see them on your Mac. Manual download will only download meta data for searches under iOS.
If you refer to indexed data , as far as I am aware they will not show up under iOS.
Hope that helps
What I’m wondering is how to make sure a newly created file within DT will not actually remain in the database but actually move to my File System on my Mac.
With DEVONthink 3, files created in an indexed group are automatically deconsolidated, ie. moved to the external folder in the Finder.
However, do not take the decision to index files lightly. I suggest searching and reading these forums, especially posts by @Greg_Jones as he uses indexing pretty much exclusively.
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Are you at all opposed to indexing? Complications? I will check out the posts.
I am not “opposed” to it. Except for a database I made seven years ago, I really only use indexing for support purposes.
I don’t think indexing is appropriate for any and all situations, but it has its place and uses for sure. Again, @Greg_Jones has real-world experience with this.
I find this strange. Slowly trying out the Indexing approach. Created a database and indexed a number of files. Then, I created a new folder and file within the already Indexed folder and saw that it immediately showed up in DT. That’s not the strange thing. What’s strange is, when I sent it to the Trash in DT and then emptied the Trash, it was also deleted from my File System. That’s not what I was expecting. Glad I did it on a test run and not on needed files. Why would I lose something in the Finder when deleting only Indexed items in DT?
That’s the consequence of a tighter filesystem integration and automatic updating of indexed groups/folders in both directions.
If you only want to index a folder partially, then you have to index the desired items of the folder directly instead of the complete folder.
That kind of scraps the whole Indexing approach for me then. I wouldn’t want to be losing files unexpectedly like that. That would mean continual Indexing maintenance on all items as I would be creating new folders and files on the Mac side.
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I don’t want to Index any folder “partially.” I had created the new folder within an already Indexed folder. When deleting that newly created folder within the Indexed folder in DT, it was also deleted in my Finder.
If the indexed subfolder wouldn’t be deleted, then the enclosing indexed folder wouldn’t contain the same items in DEVONthink and in the Finder anymore and would indeed be only indexed partially.
I’ll have the think those words out.
I’m just trying to think of how to keep DT from deleting Finder files and folders on my Mac when emptying the DT Trash. I’m not at my Mac right now. Isn’t there an “Update all Indexed Items” option up in the DT menubar? Is that what I’m looking for?
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If you move an indexed group/document to the trash without (!) an enclosed indexed group, then you’ll get an alert whether the item should be also deleted on disk. But if you move an item from an indexed group to the trash, then you won’t get that alert because the filesystem and DEVONthink are kept in sync.
This checks only whether the database and the Finder are in sync and then adds, removes or updates items in the database if necessary.
Ok on that. It’ll take awhile to adjust my thinking on that in order to not lose important files.
On another note… what is the easiest way to create a Rich Text File in DT and then make sure it’s only an indexed file with the actual file residing in the Finder?
Probably by creating the new file directly in the indexed group in DEVONthink, e.g. via the toolbar.
So, back to the issue. When I create a subfolder in the Finder within an already Indexed folder, it immediately shows over in DT. What am I supposed to do to that particular folder within DT so, if deleting that folder in DT and emptying the trash, I can get the warning of deleting within just Database or actual file?
That’s not possible. See above - if you want to index only few items of a folder, then you to have to index these items instead of the enclosing folder.
I never said I wanted to index only a few items within the folder. I want to index everything in the folder. That’s why I think we’re on different wave lengths.
Maybe. At least there’s no such warning (yet).
Back at it. When creating a Rich Text file within DT, I see that it appears in my Finder on my Mac. Is that because I indexed that particular folder? I thought creating a file within DT would have it residing within DT’s database.