Thanks for sharing your thoughts and process!
How / where are you tagging the files before import?
This was my reason for a single database
I wanted a common tagging schema available for each of my notes
I use tag-name prefixes to create sub-schemas; for example Vegetable-Pumpkin
Another “single database” concern is the hit on performance
So far it’s not an issue for me
The Global Inbox is my clearing house
Likewise, I use the Global Inbox for collection
But no attempts at pre-tagging
I try to work towards a daily zero inbox
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I’m glad to hear that. Since I also prefer a single database, can you tell me/us how many “unique words” (is that what it’s called?) yours has? Thank you!
When sharing to DTTG on iPad, I add a tag when the share sheet pops up. Similarly when sharing from Safari to DT on my MacBook. If I capture using the sorter, you can add a tag there. If saving a file into the DT Inbox folder using finder, the finder dialogue lets you add a finder tag (it’s right below the file name). If all else fails, I can add the tag in the Global inbox within DT and the file is soon transferred to the respective database inbox.
I suppose if I got really clever, I could add a hash tag to any text file and use convert hashtags to tags option in the Global Inbox. An idea to try 
Well, we’ve established you’re already quite clever 
Do watch out for this if you have non-hashtag instances of octothorpes, e.g., Ticket #12345.
PS: A tip of my hat to anyone who knows what an octothorpe is without looking it up.
I’m currently at 423,940 unique, 16,780,336 total
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I also have a single database (at the moment – I’ve also experimented over the years with having several, but I find that there is too much overlap in the many areas of my life and work for it to be workable to separate them).
At present the stats are: Words: 598,757 unique, 33,160,169 total
I can’t perceive any lag while searching. I just did a search for the word “freud” with the result given below:
385 items found in 0.014 seconds
The word was found in just about every kind of file you could imagine: pdfs, Word docs, Markdown files, Keynote presentations – you name it.
I don’t think performance is much of an issue, really! Unless you are more demanding than I am.
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Words: 598,757 unique, 33,160,169 total
…
423,940 unique, 16,780,336 total
Both of these databases are well within the bounds of the comfortable limit for a database.
Thanks for the info @DTLow and @mbbntu … I am just behind you and have no problem at all with the search speed 
In fact, being able to handle large amounts of data with ease is the best reason to use DT. Or is it the only one? Anyway, I switched to DT a few months ago just for that reason. Unfortunately, my favorite app was becoming more and more overwhelmed 
I have a database that’s about 20 gb of (mostly) PDF files, from almost 20 years of scholarship. Searching on it is still basically instant (though, accidentally selecting 150mb pdfs from google books is very much not).
Occasionally I wish for cross-database wiki-style linking, but frankly, less than 2 seconds of manual work will set up the markdown links I’m looking for (even less if I use Hookmark to do basically the same thing).
.
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I have one main database, and then a few extras for specific defined things (e.g. record-keeping, a hobby, etc.). When I was setting up DT I was unsure whether to have separate databases for each research topic or field/theme, but I decided I wanted one giant database and have not yet regretted this. I use groups/folders a lot, so mine is all very structured. Having one main database just suits the way I want to work. I can still filter searches (and often do) by limiting the search to one group. But equally I do find it of value to search my whole database to see where keywords might have popped up.
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Can you tell me how many unique words your “main database” has? Thanks.
Academic here. I have three main databases that are open most of the time:
- books and articles: a gigantic indexed database of all publications I’ve downloaded or scanned over the years, together with scanned handouts and notes (I take a lot) from seminars, conferences, &c., and annotation files to all of the above
- workspaces: indexed database of the various folders where my own projects and day-to-day documents live (mostly sub-folders of my local Documents folder)
- current: imported database of documents I’m working on actively and need to sync across devices.
I have about 25 other databases for specific content that only needs to be accessed sporadically, of which by far the most used is an archive of all sent e-mails. Everyone should have one of these and maintain a collection of links to items in it. If you ever find yourself thinking, “Hang on, I think I answered this question once before”, DT is the place to find and bookmark that original response. As time goes on you end up with a kind of index of reusable information, FAQs and their answers, and forgotten conversations worth unforgetting.
I find Workspaces useful for storing setups involving less-used databases.
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