Some questions to Custom Metadata

DEVONthink
1

I’m diving into Custom Metadata and I have a few question I couldn’t find answers to:

  1. Custom Metadata fields are defined per installation, not per database, correct? A test revealed they are synced between Macs, but through which sync store are they synchronised?

  2. Are Custom Metadata fields searchable in DTTG on iOS?

  3. The documentation talks about some “Predefined Custom Metadata fields” (e.g. Barcode or Serial Number. - In my preferences the Custom Metadata pane was totally empty - and I don’t remember deleting the predefined fields. Any idea what happened?

  4. I am certainly interested in the predefined Language field: How was it defined? Just as a Languages dropdown field?

2

It’s a global setup, each sync location synchronizes it (in the future this can be disabled).

Are Custom Metadata fields searchable in DTTG on iOS?

Not yet.

Just add a field named “Language” and choose the type “Language”.

3

Thanks Christian

That gives hope that the new major version of DTTG will make them searchable?

4

Unfortunately no, not yet. We’re concentrating on the ground works first.

5

Related to this, in the Help is says,

Predefined Custom Metadata: In Preferences > Data, we have provided some custom metadata fields to get you started. These are ready to use and explore and serve as great examples of the data types discussed above:

But there are no custom metadata fields predefined. Have I messed something up?

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6

Same for me - there was nothing predefined.

7

Delete the file ~/Library/Application Support/DEVONthink 3/CustomMetadata.plist, then DEVONthink should add the default ones again.

2 Likes
8

Fixed it. Thank you.

9

Any update on this?
I am new to DT. I’m using it for academic research materials and writing. In DT I have defined custom metadata, including a field for a Zotero quickcite reference (which can be embedded in a text document and later be turned into a proper reference in Word or .odt). This works fine on DT3, but there’s not yet support for custom metadata in DTTG.
I could live with that if there was any text field that would sync between the two – but the DTTG ‘Comments’ metadata field doesn’t seem to sync back to DT3. Or have I missed something?

1 Like
10

No, there is nothing to report at this time.
It’s on the long list of features but it isn’t a simple thing to implement given the additional interface changes required to display custom metadata.

but the DTTG ‘Comments’ metadata field doesn’t seem to sync back to DT3. Or have I missed something?

I’d guess you’re looking in the wrong place. You need to look at the Finder Comments in the Annotations & Reminders inspector not the Info > Properties inspector.

11

Good to know. Thanks.

1 Like