UUID already in database

I have a strange problem occurring in the last 2months when moving records from the Global Inbox to other databases. I move them via drag and drop (on macOS) and the records get moved, but seem to reappear later again in the Global Inbox.

When I then try to move them again from the Global Inbox (because I assume I haven’t moved them yet) I get the log window error “UUID already in database”. I am able to delete the records in the Global Inbox and then everything is as I want it to, but this isn’t ideal, of course.

Why do the items not get deleted on the drag-and drop move in the first place?

I have the suspicion this happens because of issues with the syncing from iOS, but I am not sure. Quite a few (but I don’t think all) of the troublesome records were initially created in the Global Inbox on one of my iPads .

DEVONthink support suggested database repair and I did that, but the problem still happens quite a lot. Just in case, here my DEVONthink setup/environment:

  • 2 Macs with DEVONthink Pro, 3 iOS devices with DTTG
  • 4 specific databases, 1 Global Inbox
  • All databases synced via box.com (2 different sync stores)
  • Record types are mainly markdown files and webarchives
  • Records are mainly stored in-database, but some reference records are linked from the file system. (The records giving me trouble are all in-database.)

Does anybody else has similar problems. And does anybody has an idea how to fix this?

1 Like

It’s indeed probably caused by the new background sync of version 2.6.x. Disabling automatic sync on all iOS device should fix this until a new maintenance release will be available.

Thanks Christian.

Much appreciate your prompt and honest reply.

Can’t wait for the new maintenance release. :slight_smile:

Any ETA for the fix?

It is pretty annoying to get in the Inbox these duplicates which I then have to delete manually. (Switching off syncing with iOS is not an option. -Doing lots of look up on the iPad.)

We can’t comment on timeframes, but disable iOS’ Settings > General > Background App Refresh > DEVONthink and let me know if the issue persists.

I’m also having the problem with UUID already in database but there is no iOS device involved—just my single Mac. Fortunately it only affects two documents so far.

@gtackett: Is it an email?

I am also experiencing this issue in DEVONthink Pro Office: I want to move items from my Global Inbox into a database but cannot do so because of the UUID error (some, but not all, the items are in fact duplicates). I am dealing almost entirely with PDFs.

Where did the PDFs come from?

The PDFs came from academic databases such as JSTOR.

In DEVONthink To Go, select Help > Contact Us to start a support ticket.

Does the new release DTTG 2.6.3 fixes this, Christian?

I am having the same issues. Using DTPO. Not sure what’s going on. A few documents in my Global Inbox that I am trying to move to a folder keeping me this issue of “uuid already in database”. I have checked for updates and I am running the latest version on my mac, iPad, and iPhone.

I can’t understand also, why my Mac and iPad are in sync, but the iPhone isn’t

Example. I have 8 documents in both my Mac and iPad.
I have been trying to update my iPhone and it still says 11 documents.

It’s not happening to all documents, just a handful.

Suggestions?

Define “documents”. There is no singular document type in DEVONthink.

on my iPhone…
5 images
5 PDFs
1 Web Archive

on my Mac/iPad
5 images
2 PDFs
1 Web Archive

Issue 1 - Not sure why 3 additional PDFs show up in my Global Inbox on my iPhone. Those 3 PDFs are already in different folders on my Mac/iPad

Issue 2 - Of the 8 documents as a whole in that Global Inbox, I can’t move them to other folders because they bring up the UUID already in database error

Were the PDFs in DEVONthink To Go added via the Share extension, possible the Clip to DEVONthink (which goes directly to the Global Inbox?

That I don’t recall, I would have to double-check and try to reproduce again.
It might have been the Clip to DEVONthink Share Extension on Safari Browser from desktop.

i have same problem when moving from hazel into inbox folder in mac high sierra (old mac mini i use as a server) then smart rule to move to another db. about once a week, it moves to the db but it still in global inbox … I have to delete manually as log gives uuid already in database error every few minutes.

Thank you for the feedback! What kind of item did you try to move, e.g. an email?

a pdf. a windows machine makes a pdf around 5PM and moves to a shared drive on mac in network. hazel sees the file in shared folder and moves to devon inbox folder.
devon smart rule moves to correct group in database before sync. I have two of these things happening about the same time, so i thought maybe devon gets screwed up during sync while other file arrives? i have now made one of those smart rules do it before sync, and one every hour and see what happens.