I need to work from a laptop that I am borrowing while my computer is away for repair.
The problem is that I am not allowed to download any software on the laptop. So my question is: is it possible to use my database from my external hard drive?
Yes, your database can be stored on an external drive
Your question should be; is it possible to install the Devonthink software
So is it possible to use the Devonthink software from the external hard drive? I have dragged and dropped the DT3 app in the external hard drive, but I do not know if it will work.
This should work as expected but you might have to disable the alert on startup that the app is not installed in a recommended location.
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You’ve addressed
. the app file
. your database file
There are additional folders
~/Library/Application Scripts/com.devon-technologies.think3
~/Library/Application Support/DEVONthink 3
Do I need to drag and drop them in the external hard drive too? I created an Applications folder in the external hard drive. Do the ~/Library folders need to be placed there or it does not matter?
By the way, I am using Devonthink now from the borrowed computer. It is on trial mode, and does not bring up all my preferences which might be in the files you suggest I bring up as well. But at least I can use it which is an incredible relief.
Library folders on external drives aren’t supported, they’re always located in the user folder.
So is there a way to be able to open a DevonThink database from an external hard drive with all the preferences that were setup on the computer?
And if so, can you please show me the way 
Copying the file ~/Library/Preferences/com.devon-technologies.think3.plist to the same location on the other computer should be sufficient for the preferences. For additional stuff like the favorites or global smart groups/rules, the files Favorites.plist, SmartGroups.plist and SmartRules.plist from the folder ~/Library/Application Support/DEVONthink 3/ have to be copied to the exactly same location too.
It’s like migrating from one computer to another one once, therefore these settings won’t stay in sync after changes on one of both computers.
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Thank you so much! I thought the next week will be impossible, but feel so much better now that I know I can use my two indispensable apps (DT3 and Scrivener) from my external hard drive.
I really appreciate the support here for all the questions I have asked in the past too.
Hopefully Apple will start making better batteries – my battery is swollen again – which is why I won’t have my computer around, but, on the bright side, I am learning a lot all the time.
How old is your Mac?
It is old: MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015).
I went to the Apple store and did not even leave my Mac for repair. They recommended that I purchase a new computer. So I need to create another thread here to pick everyone’s brain about the best Mac for me.
In any case, it would be good to know how to use my database directly from the external hard drive. I do have the DT3 app moved to the external hard drive, and DT3 runs on trial mode in the borrowed computer. I was able to open my databases too.
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