Using global inbox on multiple computers

I’m quite new to the DevonThink and still investigating, if it fits my needs.

I’m moving between 3 computers (Home Desktop, Home MacBookPro, Office Desktop). Most of my data (like big files) I need resides on an external disk. Other (smaller files) reside on my Dropbox.

The DT-databases I created for investigating reside on my external drive.

What’s the best way to setup DT, to share my global inbox across these computers?

  • Put the whole ‘DEVONthink Pro 2’ folder from ‘~/Application Support/’ to my external drive and then create an alias to it in ‘~/Application Support/’
  • Or just move the Inbox.dtbase2 to my external drive and create an alias to it in ‘~/Application Support/’?

Or is there a ‘recommended’ way to force the global inbox to another place?

And: What’s the additional ‘Inbox’ I see in ‘~/Application Support/’?

Any hint appreciated

andy

The second Inbox is the global inbox database. If you move the inbox, you need to move both of these (the folder named “Inbox” and Inbox.dtbase2) and put aliases in Application Support. It’s generally recommended not to open a database with more than one instance of DT at the same time - that also applies to the global inbox (a database).

Are you running separate instances of DT installed on each machine? Why not have each instance index the local Dropbox folder and let Dropbox sync the three (?) instances? Each local instance of the global inbox could index the Dropbox folder on that machine.

Hi korm,

thanks for the info about inboxes.

I don’t want to open my databases from multiple instances of DT4. Unsually I’m carrying my external drive with me all the time (this is due to the vast amount of data I usually need - or want to have with me).

Syncing to Dropbox is something I had in mind (and that’s what I do with other software as well). I was just looking for some info on the topic from more experienced users. But it seems that’s a good way to go. Just to be sure: The ‘Inbox’ folder and ‘Inbox.dtBase2’ are the only aliasses I need? To me it seems, that aliasses to everything but the ‘Abbyy’ folder would be a good idea as well (to keep smart groups and favorites in synch as well).

BTW: Can I force DT4 to do OCR on a opened document? I just got my new Doxie (getdoxie.com) and I couldn’t get DT4 to auto-OCR stuff scanned in from the Doxie (although I switched it on in preferences).

Right-click on the document(s) and select ‘Convert>to Searchable PDF’.

Just to be clear, if by “syncing to Dropbox” you mean having a Dropbox folder indexed inside the global inbox, then that should work. Just remember to use File > Synchronize whenever Dropbox updates itself. If you mean the opposite: putting your global inbox (or any other database) inside Dropbox - in my opinion, that’s risky. Others users will differ with that opinion. Search the forum and you’ll find the debates.

Any update to this. I have searched forums but this post is the latest I could find.

I am setting up new Mac and I want to sync Global Inbox across old Mac and my shiny new MacBook Pro! Is this even possible since Global Inboxes sit in non-synced Application Support folder?

Thanks.

Note: You should never put your databases in any cloud-synced folder (including the Documents or Desktop folders if you are using the disk management feature in macOS 10.12 Sierra). ​Never. If you have, you ​must ​relocate them immediately or you could irreparably damage them. The safest location is a folder in your Home Directory, like ​~/Databases​. If you have them in an unsafe locations, quit DEVONthink and move your databases to a new folder in your Home directory.

Also, we do not advocate moving your Global Inbox and symlinking / aliasing it.

Lastly, the Global Inbox can be easily Sync to the other machine with our Sync plugin. Check out the built-in Help or the manual (devontechnologies.com/downlo … nuals.html) for more info.

Thanks, I should have picked up on the syncing of the Global Inbox but…its hard to focus when you get a new Mac!