We will eventually have 8 DEVONthink users in different locations, all needing to sync to the same database.
I would like initially to have only one -way syncing. i.e. one Mac has the “master” database, and any new content is only added to that by a competent user .
Other users will sync and get the new content, but they cannot send data back, and if they have changed or screwed around with their local database it will be overwritten back to the “master” standard.
(Until they get the hang of DEVONthink the remote users are likely to accidentally move, alter or even delete files, which in turn would affect the “master”)
I have trawled the forum, searched the manual, and tried ticking “Read only” on the database settings, but syncs are always both ways. I am wondering how (or if) this is possible? It may be staring me in the face, but can’t see it…
No this is not possible. Sync is always bidirectional. The only option that makes sense for what you want is to use the Web Sharing (and you’ll need to set up port forwarding to allow users off your LAN). You can give Users Read Only access to a database this way.
Thanks Bluefrog. I had tried websharing, but the database is 14GB - so while the web sharing works well for “Search”, the “Browse” (desktop) is unusable as it takes about 5-10 minutes to become accessible. (Smaller 1GB databases load up ok, but I guess ours is too big.
Sync in a workgroup is something that requires two things: Administration and Enforcement.
What I suggest (especially to business clients) is that you have a Master Sync database. This database is administered by a Controller (individual) who is responsible for the policies and content regarding the database.
The individual Users then have their own personal database where they work and do as they need to - all outside the Master.
Depending on the decided policies, some may have access to add content or they may have to submit content to the Controller who updates the database as needed.
As far as enforcement, you must enforce these policies and their must be repercussions. (Sounds hard but working in collaborative environments is serious business when your mistakes or disregard affects EVERYONE in the group.)
I looked at doing something like this - but not sure how?
I set up a “Master Sync Database”. Remote user syncs to this and gets a copy of this on his Mac. He also has his own “Personal Database”. When he syncs to the Master Sync, his local copy of the Master gets updated. So now he has the latest Master Sync on his local Mac.
What is the easiest way for him to then “update” his “Personal Database” with any new data, folder changes etc? I guess it could be done by script?
Is there an easy way he can see what is “new” in the master, and then duplicate it to his “Personal” database? Or is there a simpler method?
First, ask why they would need to update their personal database when the changes are shared in the Master.
Consider the Master like a web site. Everyone is sharing the changes visually but they keep their own data about the web site content locally (See the next paragraph about keeping some Master content local.). So there would be no real need to update the Personal database with all the changes since this will be visible in the Master. Or maybe consider the Master like a library book. You don’t write in the library book. You keep your own notes in your notebook (and photocopy some pages for inclusion (am I dating myself? ). Make sense?
Could data be duplicated to the Personal DB? Sure, but the User MUST BE diligent that it’s NOT a Move but a COPY. Reread the library comment above. )
It is an easy enough thing to open a window with the Master and a window with a Personal database (minimizing, etc. when space requires it).
A Smart Group could be easily created to show documents created Today, yesterday, etc. (By the way, would you have a need for more granular date searching as I suggest here: Dates for Smart Groups and Searching).
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). Make sense?
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