Move items with the keyboard between databases (re-imagined)

Triggered scripts are actually discouraged and only supported to make switching from version 2 easier. How would your workflow actually look like?

1 Like

Thanks very much. I should clarify my set up and process a bit more…

Basically, I have two main groups in my Global Inbox: Articles & Documents (for official documents). If I were a zoologist, the groups and subgroups would break down like this…

Articles
Antelopes
Gorillas
Whales
Documents
Antelopes
Gorillas
Whales

On the other hand, I’ve also got project-specific groups in my databases, i.e., project-groups like Antelopes , Gorillas and Whales.

These project-specific groups contain the following folder (group) structure…

GORILLAS
1. Interviews
2. Media (photos / videos)
3. Articles
-RAW
-ANNOTATED
4. Documents
-RAW
-ANNOTATED
5. Administrative

It’s obviously quicker and easier to clip articles within the Global Inbox’s subject-based Articles & Documents – rather than navigating to project-specific groups->3. Articles->RAW groups.

So, with that background, I’m wondering how best to Move files from Global Inbox’s subject-based groups (Articles & Documents) to the Articles & Documents groups within the project-specific groups. Hope that makes sense!

Happy to provide more info and answers – just let me know! Thanks very much for your help…

Smart rules could file the items to the appropriate group. E.g. the search scope of the first smart group would be Gorillas in the inbox and would move its documents to Gorillas > Articles > RAW in the appropriate database. This would require several smart rules, one for each type of articles & documents (in your example 6 rules).

A more advanced setup could look like this and would require only two rules (one for articles, one for documents). Another advantage of this setup is that you do not even have to create the groups in the destination database.

1 Like

Thank you so much, @cgrunenberg for this! It looks great. Some quick questions…

  • I’m trying to grasp how this set up might work; it’s just a little confusing with the generic names, and I don’t quite understand what you mean by, ā€œyou do not even have to create the groups in the destination database.ā€ Wouldn’t I have to still identify the subject-specific groups under Articles (e.g., ā€œGroup Nameā€ would be ā€œGorillasā€)? If not, would I just need parity of group names or something?

  • Under the Global Inbox, in Articles & Documents, I’ve got about 20 - 30 subject-specific groups. If indeed I need to list them all, would I be able to cram in all of the subject-specific groups within this smart rule?

  • You’ve set this up with ā€œPerform the following actions: On Demandā€ I’ve never used that command before, and so I’m wondering what one has to do to initiate it.

Thanks!

  • Under the Global Inbox, in Articles & Documents, I’ve got about 20 - 30 subject-specific groups. If indeed I need to list them all, would I be able to cram in all of the subject-specific groups within this smart rule?

According to Criss’ rule, the subject-specific group names are put into a matching item’s alias. This is used to file the item into the appropriate place in the destination database. The alias on the matched item is then cleared after the move.

  • You’ve set this up with ā€œPerform the following actions: On Demandā€ I’ve never used that command before, and so I’m wondering what one has to do to initiate it.

On demand makes sure a rule doesn’t run without your intervention. All smart rules start with this event trigger to avoid unintended consequences while creating and testing a rule.

You can select Tools > Apply Rules and select the rule or Control-click the rule in the Smart Rules section and choose Apply Rule (the safer option, in my mind).

1 Like

Ok, thanks! I’m in the middle of setting this up right now, so this come at an ideal time. To that end…under @cgrunenberg’s set up, I’d have…

-Change Aliases to Gorillas

-Move to ACTIVE PROJECTS [Destination Database];

-…and…? Move to GORILLAS [Destination parent Group];

-Ok, I’m a little confused by the second to last command: File into /Aliases/Articles/RAW Here again is my group (folder structure)…

GORILLAS
1. Interviews
2. Media (photos / videos)
3. Articles
-RAW
-ANNOTATED

[etc.]

So, shouldn’t it be: File into /GORILLAS/3. Articles/-RAW/Aliases ? Sorry – this is a new set of commands for me, so I’m trying to figure this out as I go.

I think I follow. So, I can just Control-click the Smart Rules section and choose Apply Rule to initiate the smart rule. Have I got that right?

While I really appreciate the safety preventing against unintended consequences, I’m happy to have these files automatically bounce to their intended destination. So, if I forgo the On Demand function and just opt for an automatic deposit, what kind of command would work best? On Import? Something else?

Thanks so much for all of your help with this!

No problem.

Criss’ smart rule is assuming you’re filing into a temporary folder per subect and those items get moved to a destination database, filed in a particular structure.

Not while you’re building, testing, and understanding what’s going on.
Trust me, you don’t want to make a bigger mess from misunderstanding it and having to go back and refile or wonder Did I file this one? How about that one??""


No it’s not going to file into 3. Articles in the version Criss posted.

And the Aliases token (notice it’s in the light blue lozenge) is a placeholder, not a string so it’s being replaced by the alias on the file.

1 Like

Ok, thanks. Just so I understand you properly, the Global Inbox → Articles & Documents → [subject-specific groups] are the ā€œtemporary folders,ā€ correct?

Got it. Makes sense. Thanks.

Sorry, I’m a little lost here… Like I said, these are new commands for me. But I’ll try it on a select folder to see what happens. Thanks again for your help with this…

Correct.

Can you see this screencast in fullscreen?

1 Like

Oh wow. Thank you so much! It looks amazing…

I promise you I’m trying to follow the Smart Rules exactly as you and @cgrunenberg have outlined them, but…for some reason I’m getting the light blue lozenge for Group Name or Aliases… What am I doing wrong?

Nothing wrong. Both are placeholders.

Does the screencast make sense ?
And are you enjoying the annoying loud typing and mouse clicks? :stuck_out_tongue:

1 Like

Thanks! That worked…

Ok, so I select the ā€œtemporary folderā€ → right-click / control the ā€œtemporary folderā€ [source folder]?

If so, there’s no option to apply the smart rule.

Just to back up a second… You said:

So, I’ve tried to click on the ā€œtemporary folder,ā€ and have then selected Tools > Apply Rules and tried select the rule – but it doesn’t allow me to do so. It does, however, allow me to select Tools > Perform Rules That’s fine, but I’d like something that works w/o having to make that selection (if possible). Any suggestions on that front? Thanks!

Feels like we’re nearly there…

Control-click > Insert Placeholder > Group Name

And you control-click the smart rule.

Ok, I’ve been able to to do the above within the Smart Rule settings (i.e., Control-click > Insert Placeholder > Group Name).

And…I’ve just been able to select Tools > Apply Rules and select the File Articles smart rule. But…I’m sorry to say that didn’t move the files that were in there. Not sure what’s going on…

Ok, so here’s where things stand now…

First of all, just so you know, I wasn’t able to select the folder from the sidebar in order to Control-click > Tools > Apply Rules and select the File Articles; I had to navigate to the folder with the main pane. No worries there – just wanted to alert you about that.

Also, when I Control-click … > Apply Rules > and selected File Articles nothing happened. But…when I selected the files themselves and then Control-click … > Apply Rules > and selected File Articles it did work. Sort of.

I didn’t quite realize that this smart rule would create another set of groups (folders) for this files; instead, I thought that the smart rule would just move these files from the ā€œtemporary folderā€ to the more permanent one. Not at all complaining – @BLUEFROG & @cgrunenberg have been incredibly helpful!

I’m just understanding the process, identifying what’s not quite working, and trying to figure out how to adjust the smart rule, according. To that end…

-While I really do appreciate your caution w/ using Apply Rules, and the reasons for doing so, is there another command I can apply so that: (1) the smart rule can by applied to the group rather than the individual files, and (2) what command can I apply so that files are automatically routed to the desired destination? Right now, many of these groups already contain files, but I’m happy to temporarily remove and re-import them if it makes sense to use On Import (per your web video, above);

-Is it possible to set up the smart rule so that it will move these files from the ā€œtemporary folderā€ to the more permanent one, instead of creating another set of groups (folders) for this files? If not, that’s Ok – but it’ll require that I overhaul my existing organizational set up for all of my DTP DBs (which I’d prefer to avoid, if possible).

Thanks!

Smart rules are only applied to items matching the conditions, this smart rule is explicitly for files. By default it’s executed on demand but you could of course choose an automatic trigger (e.g. On importing or Hourly).

This should be possible by adapting the File action which specifies the destination location. What’s the full path of the permanent group inside the database?

Right. Thanks! The only thing is, I was only able to Control-click … > Apply Rules > and select File Articles for the individual files – but NOT for the group (folder). So, I’m wondering if there’s something about the smart rules settings (or something else in my DTP configuration) that impeding my ability to Control-click … > Apply Rules > and select File Articles for the group (folder).

Ok, great. Both of those commands sound fine. I’ll probably set it to On importing, but like I said, right now I’ve got files in many of the folders. So is there something else besides Hourly that you’d recommend? Thanks!

It’s in a database named ā€œActiveā€ and then from there the remaining file path is: GORILLAS/I. ARTs & DOCs/ARTICLES/- Raw

Also, I don’t know if this is still possible but I’d love to figure out a way to set up smart rules so that they can be applied to Global Inbox groups being moved to ARTICLES/- Raw within their corresponding subject-specific groups. Is that still possible?

Thanks so much again! Really appreciate all of your help…

A group does not match the conditions (and the contents of the group do not matter).

There’s no general recommendation, it all depends on when exactly you want the files to be moved.

Then the File action should look like this:

Thanks for your prompt reply!

Ok. But I’m just saying that I haven’t been able to apply the smart rule to a group. I’m just trying to understand why it seems to only apply to individual files, and not to groups – and how to fix it.

Understood. Just wondering if there’s any other command you’d recommend that would move existing files from folders.

Thanks. That’s what I’ve got in my smart rule. But it’s creating another set of groups (folders) for this files – instead of moving these files from the ā€œtemporary folderā€ (in the Global Inbox) to the permanent one (ARTICLES/- Raw) in subject-specific groups.

It’s just not possible, you have to select the files.

A screenshot showing both the existing and the created group hierarchies would be useful.