I am building a multimedia database for research and production.
text files and low resolution web clippings feel ok to import, but all my HD, RAW, & WAV field recordings are too big to put all on one computer…
is there a streamlined way to create low resolution “poster images/previews” for offline files? (preferably automatically on import - script starts welcome here)
when i rearrange my finder items, the index files get lost… how can i have either some sort of “smart re-linking” feature that follows file placement, or move the finder files from within DT?
DEVONthink creates thumbnails automatically while importing/indexing, depending on Preferences > Media. These thumbnails are used by all views but are especially useful in (detailed) icon views, in the right/lower pane of split views or in the last column of column views. And Cover Flow uses these thumbnails too for inaccessible/offline files.
Currently there is no way to do either, although the option to move files from one indexed folder to another indexed folder from within DT would get strong support from me! Currently I select the document in DT, right-click and choose ‘Show In Finder’, and then move it to the target indexed folder. I have the synchronize script attached to every indexed folder in DT so that the contents are re-indexed every time an indexed folder is selected.
If you have a set of folders in the Finder that are Index-captured into DEVONthink, but with to maintain some flexibility to add or rename folders in that set, or to move files from one of the folders to another, organize the set of Finder folders under a top-level folder, and Index-capture that folder.
Now, after you have made changes in the content of that top-level folder, when you choose the corresponding top-level group in your DT database and invoke “File > Synchronize”, the database will be updated. Or attach the “Synchronize” script to that corresponding top-level group in the database; the group will now update each time it is opened.
Note: Don’t Index-capture your entire Documents folder, as that will likely add a lot of files that really add no value to the database (especially if you use Microsoft Office).
I don’t understand this “synchronization” action.
I have a folder “committees” sitting on my mac drive; I indexed this folder to DT. When I make changes to the folder structure from within DT these changes are not seen in the “committees” folder still sitting on my mac drive. I had hoped to be able to work with my indexed files within DT and have the changes made on the file originals.
I just made a folder on my Desktop called “toIndex” and added it as an indexed item to DTPO. Then I dropped a file into it and selected File > Update Indexed Items. The file appeared as expected.
Then I opened the Info pane and attached the Synchronize script (found in /Applications/DEVONthink Pro (and Office)/Extras/Scripts/Triggered) to the folder. I went back to the desktop and dropped another file into the toIndex folder. Back to DTPO and clicked on the indexed folder and voila! the new file showed up.
The sync script only indexes new documents in the Finder folder into the database. Documents added in DEVONthink will not be added to folders in the Finder.
What yo want is this script, which will both index files from the Finder as well as export files from the database to the Finder. Compile the script and attach it to your group(s) just as you would use the synchronize script.
on triggered(theRecord)
try
tell application id "com.devon-technologies.thinkpro2"
deconsolidate record theRecord
synchronize record theRecord
end tell
end try
end triggered
Thank you for your help Greg.
Maybe I’m not doing everything exactly the right way- I copied the text you offered into the applescript editor, compiled the text and stored the scpt file in the DTPO scripts file - I called it “synchronize DT”. I attached this script to a “test” folder on my desktop. When I add files to the test folder using Finder (or directly on the desktop) they appeared in DTPO when I indexed the test file - additions made using Finder-documents, or direct from desktop, appeared in DTPO when I updated the index - great - but … no changes (added or deleted files) made within DTPO appeared in my “test” folder viewed in Finder - even when I invoked the “synchronize DT” script manually. I think I’m doing something wrong - but I’d love to be able to manipulate my indexed “test” folder from within DTPO. Either that, or manipulate an imported copy of the “test” folder in DTPO and then be able to synchronize with the alternate copy in Finder-documents.
You don’t attach the script to a Finder folder, you need to attach it to your indexed group(s) that you want to sync in the database. Select the group, show info (command-shift-i), click on Select, and navigate to the sync script in the filesystem. Scripts attached to groups are triggered each time that you select the group in the database.
