what other way is there to do it, other than copy and paste from the source into the target?
ācopy and pasteā ?!? This isnāt Windows 
Why arenāt you just hosting your Obsidian vaults on the external drive instead of involving CCC in the mix?
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haha!
I tried doing that before. I think itās the best way to keep all the devices in order. I stopped doing it because I wanted to minimize the wear and tear on the SSD, as well as keep a USB port free.
But I guess thatās what they are for - to be used!
I might go back to that method. Itās no fuss organisation.
Given I have a couple of indexed databases (Zotero and Obsidian), what do you recommend for the DT3 database? Have that on the SSD as well, or sync between the devices? I would assume running the database directly from the external drive is the better option.
If the indexed databases are indexing from sources on the external drive, Iād put the databases on the drive too. Then your whole setup is intact and portable. Simple! 
If the indexed databases are indexing from sources on the external drive, Iād put the databases on the drive too. Then your whole setup is intact and portable.
I went back to this method. And trusting me, the first thing I did when I took my portable ssd with me to use on my macbook was to leave the connecting cable at home!!
Anyway, since going back to this method, I have one question. Itās probably an obvious question, but Iāll ask anyway.
DT programmers strongly suggest to use the DT sync option when syncing DT databases between computers, rather than using 3rd party sync software. This I understand.
But what about using clones of the whole drive, for instance using a small thumbdrive for databases between computers.
But, if I use a thumbdrive between numerous devices which I clone after every use, would using the cloned version of the whole drive be OK, or do you foresee a problem with this in any way?
Eg scenario, losing a small thumbdrive, so having to use a cloned copy instead. There wouldnt be any problems with DTs indexing etc, would there?
What is your goal and purpose doing this the hard and unproven way, vs. the way DEVONthink was designed to be used?
I donāt see what is difficult and āunprovenā about using a single database on a portable drive to use between two or more terminals.
In fact Jim even recommended it in the post above.
How is the method described above by Jim āunprovenā? He even said āSimple!ā, indicating it is proven and āsimpleā to achieve. It even seems more simple than setting up sync locations and syncing online or over networks. Even the DT manuals recommend it.
My question really is about what are you trying to achieve? Just curious so you donāt really have to say.
To me having dual copies makes things complicated. And youāre asking for advice, so I guess there are unknowns for you.
Enjoy the journey! Go for it and see what happens. 
Edit: reading more closely, I see you have only one copy that you use on multiple devices, rather than ācloning and using on movingā which was my assumption. My bad.
No, itās my bad. I think my question may have been convoluted. But I think you mistook my question about backups as a question about syncing scenario. This is where I could have been clearer!
I was really asking whether opening a clone of a database would cause any issues in the database itself, such as conflicts with the appās coding on the mac with the cloned database on a backup drive (Iām kind of new to using clones etc). But I donāt forsee any issues as that is what a clone is, a direct copy of a drive. So I would guess using the clone would be the same as using the original.
And trusting me, the first thing I did when I took my portable ssd with me to use on my macbook was to leave the connecting cable at home!!
Haha
I do that with my phone all the time, leaving it somewhere because it rarely rings 
But what about using clones of the whole drive, for instance using a small thumbdrive for databases between computers.
Thumbdrives arenāt generally considered to be robust, so are you suggesting this as a temporary measure?
Thumbdrives arenāt generally considered to be robust, so are you suggesting this as a temporary measure?
oh yes, by all means. Just using one temporarily in the case of leaving the main drive at home, or losing it.
Sorry this is a thread about note taking apps. I didnāt mean to derail it with questions on drive backups.
No worries - tangents happen 
Hello Bluefrog,
Stickies has been on the Mac for ages and I have played with it innumerable times. But I guess I lack the necessary imagination and creativity ā¦ because I have never found a useful purpose for it. :ā(
Iām curious,
how do you use Stickies exactly? And for what kind of notes?
Using it to store temporary snippets and temporary to-dos (e.g. for today). At the end of each day the stickies are either empty again or are moved to DEVONthink.
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I have a workspace on my second monitor (that I can swipe to easily) with nothing but stickies plastered all over. Each one contains keyboard shortcuts to the various apps I use (and indeed the operating system) as an aide memoire.
Each app is represented in a sticky and I colour the stickies to roughly match the colour of the app it refers to so I can find it quickly.
The shortcuts are not copy-pasted from help-docs etc. Rather they are curated to include only the items that I use often (and also include custom ones that I apply) which I do not remember and want to remember.
I grew up on the terminal and I still prefer not to lift my hands off the keyboard if I can. This is one reason I love things like vim and Devonthink3ās implementation of fuzzy search in the āImportā pop-up.
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Stickies: I had lost sight (and memory) that Stickies even still existed on macOS. I started running a few and realized they are perfect to replace the pen and ink scribbles on note paper I have taken to in recent monthsāparticularly the ability to export in plain text or rtf/rtfd, unlike Notes.
Another benefit to keeping a close eye on the discussions here on DEVONthink!
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I think Stickies is a program people either like or they donāt like. It hasnāt changed much over time. My version of Stickies canāt even create hot links to files and folders on my machine.
For to-dos I use now Nisus Writer Pro. The pros are:
- It can appear without toolbar and formatting bar as a small window in the upper left corner of my screen
- I open it with the keystroke ā2do
- Hot links to files and folders on my hard disk (or on external disks) can be created on the fly simply with copy and paste, i.e. I select a file or a folder icon in the Finder and then paste into Nisus. Thatās enough to create a hot link. Select multiple icons to create multiple links. I love this feature. I can also add a link to text from the Clipboard without changing the text. So actually I have two ways to add links at my disposal.
- The to-dos can be written in an hierarchical list form
- If needed, the items can be dragged up or down to change their position (or relevance) in the list.
I donāt have a second monitor, but having a second Desktop with Stickies only sounds like an interesting option. :ā)
And the tips keep rolling in. NWP has been my rtf editor of choice for years, but I never knew I could copy a document in the Finder then create an āautomaticā link in NWP with a simple paste command (note this doesnāt work the same way with Stickies).
I thought Iād read somewhere that Stickies isnāt included in back-ups?
I never adopted it on the Mac because I used the Windows equivalent (Sticky Notes) in my pre-Mac days and when the computer had a terrible crash (lost everything) it turned out my Sticky Notes were never included in back-ups and Iād lost them forever 
I felt that pain for years 
I understood that Stickies has the same failing so I never touched it. I did love having notes on my desktop though. (Iām not sure I would now that Iām a Mac person with a beautiful empty desktop!)