What is Globals? How should I use it?

[tagertux]

I’m new-ish to DT. I use it to keep and search academic papers etc.

I would like to make my (only) database inbox the inbox that is used for everything.

Why is there an inbox in Globals and an inbox in my database?

Is there a way to see my folders (from my database) in the far left column? At the moment this is taking up an inch of screen real estate for no reason.

http://rozelles.posterous.com/dt-globals

[korm]

@tagertux

Why is there an inbox in Globals and an inbox in my database?

Because in DT you can have multiple databases, some of them open, others not, and each database has an “inbox”. The global inbox serves the whole DT environment. Here is what the manual says about the global inbox:

@the manual

It is shared between all open databases and is even accessible through the Sorter when DEVONthink is [not] running. The inbox is the place where new documents end up, e.g., when dropped onto DEVONthink’s Dock icon or when created via the Services menu commands.

@tagertux

Is there a way to see my folders (from my database) in the far left column?

You could put some favorites in the left column (the sidebar), or you can hide the sidebar (View > Show/Hide Sidebar), or you can try different views to see what you like. There are many options.

See also what Greg Jones recently wrote about a related topic.

[jui]

I also would like to have a default inbox in a default database which can be shared between multiple users of the same Mac using DEVONthink.
We use it as a family archive and as such my wife and myself use a common database but each one from it’s own user profile.

This works when setting the correct rights for the database.

However, we can neither define a new default “global” inbox to be used when scanning documents nor can we just share the global inbox as it is user profile specific.

Is there a workaround even by setting user rights and attributes to “share” one global inbox (and not use the user specific global inbox)?
I am sure there is a way, the question is how deep do I have to dig into the system to get it done and sustain future updates.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jui (Germany)

[korm]

@jui

We use it as a family archive and as such my wife and myself use a common database but each one from it’s own user profile.

I’m curious how you do this without causing conflicts in the database.

However, we can neither define a new default “global” inbox to be used when scanning documents nor can we just share the global inbox as it is user profile specific. Is there a workaround even by setting user rights and attributes to “share” one global inbox (and not use the user specific global inbox)?

Rather than attempting this with DT’s global inbox, could you not have a folder on your server, or somewhere, that each of you index in your respective instances of DT? You could scan to the folder, and the scanned document would be accessible in each database.

[jui]

Hi!

Well, I am still a newbie to DT, and I don’t knkw exactly if indexing a shared folder would help, as in such case the files moved to this folder would not be added to the DT database and just be indexed. If I could then relaly move the Files physically to my database where they finally should be stored, this might be an option.

Bur I now managed to really share my global inbox by using aliases and a shared folder (where b.t.w. also some other shared databeses are stored with share user rights). It works fine for both users.

I did not get thisdoen with the sorter, as the sorter seems so cache the files not in a dediated inbox folder but in a cache folder (I don’t knkw why not the normal global inbox is used for the sorter inbox as well).

Maye I’ll find a way for the sorter, too.

Jui