Smart Group searching for files in another database?

DEVONthink
1

Hi there,

In a first database, I save all the invoices I get (PDF + Text). The name of the supplier is always part of the filename. For instance, all the files containing an invoice for my office have the word “OfficeHer”.

In a second database, let’s say in the group “Office”, I have all the correspondence related to my office, but of course no invoices. Now I would like to see in the group “Office” a list of all the invoices related to my office that are saved in the first database and contain the word “OfficeHer” in their filename.

A Smart Group would be perfect for that, but obviously it can’t search for files in another database.

Any idea how to do that?

2

Local smart groups in databases are limited to the database, only global smart groups in the sidebar can search all databases.

3

Is there another way to have a similar result?

4

This is the only automatic possibility, at least as long as you don’t move the items into the same database.

5

Just a possibility: make the group that holds ur invoices an indexed group (an external folder in Finder). Two databases can index to the same folder.

1 Like
6

Is there no risk for DT to have the same folder indexed in 2 different databases?

7

See this post Multiple databases to index the same external folder?. I think @Silverstone has been using this method…
But @BLUEFROG may have additional advice.

8

There is no inherent risk to indexing a resource in more than one database.
However, you must be aware a change to the file made in one database will affect the file in the other database since they’re both pointing at the same file in the Finder.

Also, the same cautions about moving and deleting indexed files must be kept in mind whenever you’re dealing with them.

2 Likes
9

Thank you @ngan for your trick, it’s working well!