Re-associating Dropbox sync stores with databases after clean install

DEVONthink
1

I am about to clean-install one of my Macs, upgrading to Big Sur from Catalina. (I mean a “completely fresh” clean-install, where I will not migrate data from a backup, but set up the Mac from scratch.)

When I do set up the Mac afresh, I’ll want to set up my DT3 databases again, which are currently synced with Dropbox.

My question is, what is the best way to re-associate the databases with the existing sync store data in Dropbox’s servers?

In DT3 on the freshly set-up Mac, I could go to Preferences > Sync > [name of Dropbox sync store], select a synced database in the right-hand pane under ‘remote’, right-click it and select ‘Import Database’, though I suppose this is likely to be slow.

On the other hand, I have my databases backed-up on external media, and I could simply open these in DT3 on the freshly set-up Mac. But in this case, how is each database properly “re-associated” with the remote sync store?

2

There is no need for re-associating anything.

  1. Restore the database files from your backups and put them in the Databases folder in your Home directory.
  2. Double-click each to open them in DEVONthink.
  3. Set up the Dropbox sync location, bearing in mind you’ll need to use the same value for the encryption key.
    When connected correctly, you should see the message under the databases’ name refer to merging the sync data.
  4. Check the checkboxes of database you want to sync.
3

Ah, so it’s as simple as that. That’s good to know. I guess by “merging” it effectively means, at that point, “recommence syncing”.

4

Yep. That simple.
And it’s going to push and pull transactional data to the local machine.

5

Brilliant. Thanks for clarifying that.

6

You’re welcome :slight_smile: