Safe way to try out the beta

DEVONthink
1

Hi all,

I know I probably should not run DEVONthink 3 on my actual database until it is officially released, so I am thinking about the following set up:

  1. Fire up a parallel desktop virtual machine running the beta version of the next macOS
  2. Install DEVONthink beta on that virtual machine
  3. Play with some mock up database that mimic my needs.

Is this the best way to run it? What are some setup you guys use and have you encountered any problems?

Thanks in advance!

2

How am I using it?

Cowboy-style. Straight up for productive work. :japanese_ogre:

Every once in a while - a couple times a day, perhaps - I will backup my databases - which are also synced on dropbox. :wink: No problems so far.

3

Thats very courageous! Do you also use iCloud syncing, and did you just replace your V2 with V3?

4

Or very stupid :laughing:

I’ve been using it since beta 1 (which was a bit more unstable, as far as I am concerned. I had some files disappearing on me and lots os indexed files getting duplicated without any reason). Since beta 2 it has been pretty stable and problem free for me.

I had to learn the hard way that the integration between DT3 and finder is much more strict and you can’t just go about using indexed files and if you were on DT2. After this I created a dummy database to test all the functions and to just go crazy on it. After I felt I had seen enough, I started using it again.

I have not used iCloud because I keep my databases in an external hard-drive in one of my computers. I sync a lot via Bonjour and sometimes also via dropbox. I use dropbox as an secondary backup. One I would not like to use, but that I can resort to (it keeps erased files for a while to it is somewhat useful).

Another strategy I use, for backing up individual files, is a pair of scripts by Christian that will backup any given file and upon request evoke the previous versions of it. (I can share them with you, if you think they can be useful to you).

5

A VM would be fine. More simply we advocate using a separate macOS account (which also has the benefit of not being virtualized). You can install DEVONthink 3 in a user-specific Applications folder on that account as well.

6

How can you set up MacOS VM?

I don’t think that is possible.

7

You need the appropriate software to run a VM.

8

Apple does not license MacOS

There is no legal MacOS VM software anywhere

9

There is no legal MacOS VM software anywhere

VMware Fusion and Parallels both support macOS VMs.

10

Its quite simple to do so using a commercial VM software, and you can use the official updater from Mac AppStore as the image.

I believe since OSX mountain lion, Apple’s EULA allows virtualization on official Apple hardware. I am runing my VM on a MacBook pro, so I should be fine :grinning:

11

I think it is courageous :stuck_out_tongue:. Loosing files is nerve wrecking though. I have some Wki Files that I spent a long time writing in DEVONthink and only stored on DEVONthink (bad practice alert?); maybe it’s ok sicne they are still backup by TimeMachine?

I don’t know what will happen if I corrupt my database in DT3, does it mean the database is screwed for all platform? All my database are linked to iCloud. The funny thing is that I did not purchase DT for my Mac until I used it on iOS for a while; so technically all my DT data base are created on iOS :upside_down_face:.

Is this a better alternative to TimeMachine?

12

Sounds like a much more elegant solution :grinning:. I guess VM allows me to run both of them at the same time without confusing me; so maybe not entirely a waste of time.

13

@NGNear - Thanks - I did not realize that

14

VMs can be cool, but it’s still emulation. Workable for sure, but I prefer the real thing when possible.
I have at least three accounts on multiple machines and fast-user switch between them all day long :slight_smile:

15

I had to learn the hard way that the integration between DT3 and finder is much more strict and you can’t just go about using indexed files and if you were on DT2

This whole sentence is terrifying. I used indexed files more than anything in DT. What precisely has changed? What does “more strict” integration with Finder mean that prevents you from just “going about using indexed files?”

16

The integration is bidrectional, e.g. items created in DEVONthink in indexed groups are now automatically moved to the external indexed folder contrary to version 2.

17

Also, if you move it out of the indexed folder, it will get imported into the database, is that it?

Nothing terrifying.:slightly_smiling_face: You just need to be aware of what @cgrunenberg just said:

18

My simpler approach: create a new folder to house Devon 3 databases. Copy any chosen one from the folder used for Devon 2 to that new folder and open it under Devon 3. Don’t make changes you want to keep and don’t forget you’re using a clone.

19

My simpler approach

I’m not sure if you’re meaning, “simpler than using another macOS account” but it’s still wiser not to have 2 and 3 installed in the same account.

20

Re: bidirectional integration

Okay, that’s not terrifying, thank you. Seems like if you’re using indexed folders, but expecting or even capitalizing off of the possibility that the on-disk and DT folders could be out of sync, then that’s more of an edge case. (Sharp razor’s edge, maybe).

It sounds like it works more like one would expect, although the “what happens when you delete a file on the DT side” is going to take some getting used to for people. Right now I never, ever have DT delete anything on disk and I’d have to rethink how I use it.