I copied the databases to an external drive and transferred it into the DT database folder.
Although from what I understand about DT’s databases, they are supposed to be mobile(?), are they not? As in you should be able to open database from any location. Except of course it’s dangerous to put it in a sync cloud location.
I’m going to try a reinstallation. Can’t believe I didn’t find that thread.
Did you copy the DT folder in Application Support folder too? Did you transfer the CustomMetaData.plist or did you recreate the custom metadata manually on the new installation?
If you have imported your files, yes it is portable. It should also contain the metadata about the items inside it. That being said, the custom metadata definitions are global, therefore not stored in individual databases.
My hunch, since you copied (Finder?) thousands of files in the “package” out and then back in again, something went wrong. What? Dunno. I would have used a single database archive zip file and then unzipped it into place.
Databases are not “mobile”. But maybe I don’t know what you mean. You should put them on your local disk (not a synced folder). Then use DEVONthink’s sync features to sync with one of the established methods if you need sync.
Will it be helpful to remind users to run the various checks or even rebuild their databases
Periodic use of Verify & Repair is recommended but rebuilding shouldn’t be casually done. It’s for specific troubleshooting purposes.
when they migrate to a new computer?
? Is this the situation now - this is on a new computer migrated from an old one?
I had a email discussion with @cgrunenberg where he helped me out and checked the log files from my installation and said the installation was broken for some reason. Before that he checked my plist and it worked as expected on his side. If I recall correctly the only thing I did was redownload the app and install again.
Best regards,
Björn
Yes this is a new computer migrated from the old one. So for some reason the custom metadata values created in the old mac did not transfer over to the new installation. This is confirmed when I opened a backup from months ago on the new installation.
I’m going to run a new installation. Should I be copying over the custom metadata plist or should I just open the database and let it read by itself?
My experience might be relevant:
I recently reset my Mac and chose not to recover from a Time Machine backup (although I do have regular backups). Installed DT afresh and opened my not-so-fresh databases. The custom metadata were not displayed automatically – same situation as described by the OP.
I recalled that custom metadata definitions are stored in a plist file. So I quit DT, opened my Time Machine backup, copied the file ~/Library/Application Support/DEVONthink 3/CustomMetaData.plist, and replaced the same file in my new installation. This process (also mentioned in bjornivarsson’s thread) took me less than one minute. Then I reopened DT, and all my custom metadata were back.
Final update on the situation.
Did a reinstallation of DT, and copied over the custom metadata plist file, still no custom metadata.
Similar situation when recovering from the database export (exported from the database on the old mac). Only custom metadata created on DT installation on the new mac exist.
I decided to recover the database from the time machine on the old mac. And surprisingly the custom metadata came back! What’s weird is that the database export created on the same database as the time machine’s database behaved differently when they are opened on a new DT installation on a new computer.
In any case, I compared the metadata overview spreadsheet between the two databases and made the necessary document transfers and verified the data. Everything is where they should be. Have different backup options and locations people, having different options to recover my data saved me.
I am having trouble archiving/database files that include the custom metadata. Here are screenshots of an example of exporting a database that has custom metada. When I unzip the archive file (on another drive) the custom metadata file is zero. Am i not archiving/exporting properly? Or is there something else going on?
Source:
![Screenshot 2025-03-03 at 11.53.50 AM|690x424] (upload://dsURARH3133vIsK9BgEgbuTNK5a.jpeg)
Archived version:
Thank you for your help! --zoe
The above message has the image of the archived version with zero custom metadata. Here is the source file.
I am using DEVONthink 3.9.8 and macOS Sonoma 14.4.
I exported the zipped file to an external hard drive (Samsung T9).
Then I copied the zipped file to another external hard drive (Extreme SSD).
That was our previous method of moving any DEVONthink files.
But now, upon further testing, it looks like dragging and dropping the file from one external drive to the other actually does a better job of including the custom metadata. That surprised me but it does explain some of our previous problems!
I think the question now is: I can locate versions of the databases with custom metadata intact. But how should we go about revising getting the custom metadata back into files that have been revised/edited/updated by others in our group?
I should say, I exported (from DEVONthink) the archived/zipped file to an external hard drive (Samsung T9).
Then I copied the zipped file from T9 (SOURCE) to Extreme SSD (DESTINATION).
I also tried exporting/archiving directly from DEVONthink to the DESTINATION and encountered the same problem.
The method that does work is
However: Our previous method of moving any DEVONthink databases was to export/archive them and then upload to Google drive. Now we are seeing problems because some of these do not have the custom metadata.
I can locate the versions of the DEVONthink databases that were archived/zipped before uploading to Google drive. BUT, I still need help figuring out how to restore the custom metadata if the version I uploaded was subscequently edited/revised by others in our group.
Thanks! --zoe
- dragging and dropping the databases from one drive to the other.
This is definitely not the same operation as creating a database archive.
BUT, I still need help figuring out how to restore the custom metadata if the version I uploaded was subscequently edited/revised by others in our group.
Who is editing what? It’s unclear what you’re doing with the database archives.
The current version of macOS Sonoma is 14.7.4. First update your operating system and stay current with the OS point releases. Then try the operation again.
This is an issue of File > Export > Database Archive…, the upcoming version 3.9.9 will fix this. In the meantime one workaround is to compress the database on your own while DEVONthink is not running or the database is not opened.
Got it.
Updated macOS Sonoma to 14.7.4. Here’s the plan. I am X, my colleague is Y.
If upgrade to 14.7.4 fixes the issue: X uses File–>Export–>Database Archive and puts this version in a different folder on SOURCE. Then X copies the zip file onto DESTINATION drive, unzips and examines. If custom meta-data is intact, X proceeds to next file.
If upgrade does not help, X closes the database, logs out of DEVONthink and compresses the original file. Then X copies the new archived version from SOURCE to DESTINATION (checking again.)
I’ll just try this method for the latest 10 or so, the upgrade seems to help.
