Is it possible to replace a replicated PDF file with a new version without loosing the replicatants spread through a database?
That’s the way replicants work. There are not multiple copies – there is only one document, which DEVONthink makes appear in multiple locations. Change one replicant and all replicant instances change.
Sounds like you’re actually thinking of duplicates, perhaps. Duplicates are discrete copies and updating one copy will never change the other copies.
What I have is a PDF called mobile_center.pdf with instructions for wiring. This morning I needed to update some details in the original OmniGraffle file, export it as a PDF and drag it into the appropriate folder. Now in my database I have two mobile_center.pdf files, one is the original with mistakes and all the replicated links the other is the new file.
How do I replace the original with the updated?
It’s not possible to replace one replicant with another.
It’s possible, though, to do a brain transplant on a PDF. Make sure View > PDF Display > Sidebar is active. Select the old PDF. Drag the new PDF to the sidebar of the old PDF and drop it at the beginning or the end of the page thumbnails. Delete all the old pages you don’t want, using the Delete Selected Page(s) command in the contextual menu. Save (⌘-S). All the replicants will be updated with the change.
Oh forehead slap!! Nice solution.