Strange Behaviour of Finder File Aliases Indexed in DevonThink

DEVONthink
1

Finder File Alias (of a PDF for example). The file is in a non Dropbox folder

  • if the alias is imported into DevonThink, the new DevonThink item functions like and totally independently the original PDF
  • if the Finder Alias is indexed in DevonThink, the new DevonThink item functions like the original PDF. All changes in the DevonThink item are reflected in the original PDF in Finder.

What I find strange: if I

  • delete the alias in Finder, the alias is deleted but the original PDF in Finder remains.
  • delete the indexed file alias in DevonThink → the original PDF in Finder is deleted.

thank you

2
  • delete the alias in Finder, the alias is deleted but the original PDF in Finder remains.

Correct, because it’s just a pointer to the file.

  • delete the indexed file alias in DevonThink → the original PDF in Finder is deleted.

The alias is resolved to the original document, as aliases aren’t supported.

Finder aliases are not recommended for use in DEVONthink.
They will not import and their use in indexing is limited and very specific in behavior, as you see here…

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