Hi Guys,
Is there any way that you can make ‘Update Indexed Files’ context sensitive?
i.e. if I add a new set of files in the Finder to a new folder that is inside a parent folder already indexed by DT.
I really want to trigger an ‘update indexed files’ just to the new folder, rather than a global command to the whole database.
Could you make ‘update indexed files’ available in the context sensitive menu i.e. Ctrl+click on a specific folder?
Thanks for a great app
I’m basically having a problem, that when I drag a new set of files in a folder into a an ‘indexed’ folder structure in DT… it recognises that the files are there i.e. they appear in the library, but it doesn’t index the files.
E.g. I’ve pulled in 70 Excel spreadsheets but clicking on the folder and searching for content I know is there doesn’t bring up anything e.g. with the search term:
I know this word exists (hundreds of times in the excel sheets) but it doesn’t return one found item.
So I figure it DT needs to be told to index that folder structure… but I don’t want to run ‘Update index’ for everything - as it is a large database.
I think you are using the term index interchangeably and therefore incorrectly here.
The menu item File > Update Indexed Items makes DT check to see whether the items present in the indexed Finder folder are all represented in the equivalent group in DT, and whether all the items in that group are actually still present in the indexed Finder folder (so basically whether changes to either Finder or DT have been reflected in the other). You are describing that the files in the indexed Finder folder are present in the group in DT; as such, the command Update Indexed Items will have no effect.
What you are suggesting instead is that the contents of those files is not included in the (search) index. To the best of my knowledge you cannot force DT3 to re-index items (i.e. refresh the search index); as such, I’m not sure whether it is actually likely that the items have not been indexed. If you select one of the Excel files in question in DT, is a preview of the file shown? What are your search settings?
(PS to avoid talking at cross-purposes, please observe the correct nomenclature: a folder is an item in Finder; a group is an item in DT.)
Thanks for your reply.
My experience is that DT goes through 2 types of indexing:
My experience of adding new files / folders to the Finder with DT after having done the initial indexing is a bit hit and miss.
More often than not, it carries out process 1 above, but not 2. It is clear that this is the case because of both the speed at which it imports, and because the activity window does not appear showing process 2 is happening.
I.e. it finds the files and shows them in a Group in DT, but the search index doesn’t get updated - it seems to fail to carry out process 2.
I have found that running ‘update index’ forces DT to go through both processes, first a rescan of the entire top level folder, then a checking of the ‘checksums’ and a ‘re-index’ of the search terms.
If I am getting the nomenclature wrong I apologise - but with regard to indexing, it is because I am using the terms that DevonThink is showing as it goes through the process.
What I feel is necessary is a command to force DT to undertake process 2 above, on a particular folder i.e. to rescan and add document contents to the search index, as DT seems to recognise the files are there but the contents are not searchable,
Due to an unrelated issue with a vpn, I have had to reset up the user account overnight and have left it to reimport everything again.
I will try to replicate the problem and will get back to your question of what DT shows when selecting the item in the left hand pane.
The second step might be invisible if it’s too fast and might also be skipped in case of certain document types (e.g. plain text or HTML) as the tasks are handled in one go.