I am using DevonTHINK Pro 2.0 for my law firm. I just purchased it. There is a file server at my office. On this fileserver are thousands of PDF files. I have created a database with the data base file stored on my local computer. I told DevonTHINK Pro 2.0 to import files and folders over the Internet connected to office server. I then pointed to the directory that contained the thousands of PDF files on the office server. After an hour or so, all the files were imported and indexed. That worked fine.
However, I now wish to be able to add PDF files to the file server periodically and either have DevonTHINK Pro 2.0 import and index these files automatically or add the files manually at periodic times. I have been unable to figure out how to do this. Obviously, I do not want to have to re-import the entire directory that contains the thousands of files every time I add a few files to the directory and subdirectories within the main directory.
It seems to me that the “synchronize” command under the file menu should automatically go out to the main directory and determine which files have not been imported and indexed and import and index those files. However, when I choose “Synchronize” nothing happens.
Can anyone please advise me as to what it is I am doing wrong, or what I can do to solve this problem?
I’m interested to see what the pros in here have to say, but I think the problem is going to be in importing.
I’ve been thinking about this matter for a while. Do you use a document vault with check in/check out? Or, is it plain files/folders that you can see as a folder in finder?
If the latter, then I think the trick is to index the firm files rather than import. The synchronize command will then cause the update of files that have changed on the server, but only experimentation will tell how long of a process that would be.
The other option would be a command-line level rsync between the locally stored files and the server.
I’ve been using DTPO for some research and I’m loving it. I sucked in an entire reporter to a database using the site download feature and I was surprised how small the database was, but I’ve basically got a locally hosted westlaw database for that reporter now. schweet! You’d be surprised how well the see also works on a pile of cases. Can’t sheperdize or keycite, but heck, it’s nice to have instant access.
Meanwhile, back to your problem, I think you need to index the firm files if you want to have your database update changes made on the firm server. Plus, I’m not sure what your firm policies are like, but are you sure you really want local file storage? Work notes and your work is one thing, but entire file copies? Indexing makes a concordance, and allows you to access the data from the network, but keeps the files themselves back at the firm.
First, import and index are two different things. Import copies files into the DT database package. From that point, there is no connection with the folders where those files came from. Index is like aliases in Finder. With indexing, DT doesn’t copy the files, but links back to their original location.
Synchronize keeps indexes up to date. It has no effect on import, because there is nothing to update.
There are dozens and dozens of posts in this forum addressing various workflows and approaches for both indexing and importing. It is a good idea when getting started to spend some quality time in the Usage Scenario group and see what others have done and learned.