I propose a feature for DTTG to add external folders in the Files app as syncing destinations. First, this would simply open up the possibility to virtually sync with any cloud storage options (that support Files app). It would also allow files stored in other apps to benefit the superior features offered by DTTG such as indexing and searching.
I’ve seen other apps that treat external folders the same way as remote locations, like Infuse.
There would be no benefit to other applications if we used iCloud folders for syncing. It is raw, chunked, and optionally encrypted sync data, usable only by DEVONthink and DEVONthink To Go.
Sorry I probably didn’t explain what I meant properly. I was proposing DTTG to sync its contents with the contents of a pre-existing external folder. For example, if I have a folder of PDFs somewhere in Files app, it would be great if DTTG can copy it into a database and keep that database in sync with the PDFs in the external folder, probably bar from any proprietary metadata. I’m not suggesting DTTG to put the chunked data back.
This is not a proper DEVONthink database sync. It’s exactly like the feature in Working Copy called “Set up synced directory”. It intends to bring git to apps that can’t access folders in Working Copy but exposes their own folders in Files app. Similarly DTTG can offer its indexing features to all files in the Files app by implementing this.
I’m suggesting this also to overcome some limitations of DTTG: 1 Other apps can’t access entire folders in DTTG so, for example I can’t put .md + embedded images in DTTG to use in iA Writer. 2 DTTG database can only be synced with Mac machines.
So, basically, this would be like indexed folders on the Mac? And DEVONthink To Go would then sync them through its own synching mechanism to other devices?
That’s exactly what I envisioned. The only downside is that there need to be two copies of these files due to limitations on iOS.
It’s an interesting idea and doable. Thank you! However, that would be a substantial change and nothing we could as easily integrated as on the Mac. We’ll put it on our longer-term list of possible enhancements.
Thanks! I’m looking forward to it maybe at 4.0.