Where is my document?

DEVONthink Tips
1

I’ve asked about this subject somewhat obliquely in a couple other posts and didn’t get a response so I’ll dedicate a separate topic specifically to it.

I will sometimes get a document where after importing into the database, it’s in there but it doesn’t seem to BE anywhere. I’ll import it (via printing to PDF or capturing a web archive) and will see it’s not in my inbox. So I’ll do a search for text content and it will come up in the search results, but it’s not in any folder (I have auto classify turned off). I look at ‘show info’ for the document but it doesn’t give me any information about where in the DTPO database the document is residing.

So, it’s like it’s in there without BEING anywhere.

What’s going on here?

2

Have you tried using Data > Reveal (Command-R) to locate which group it’s in?

You won’t find its location within the database hierarchy there, only the Path field to its external file (relative to the database package).

Related topic: Req: Record’s location in top right strip

3

I hadn’t tried the reveal command, but after doing so I’m no closer to an answer. The top pane goes blank, the bottom still shows the document and I get no additional information.

It’s like it’s sitting in an undisplayed group or something.

Makes me uncomfortable having documents stashed where I can’t see them. Makes me wonder what else is in there.

4

I find the same thing and wonder where certain documents reside. Example, using the script to add an email to Devonthink, it shows up in the Home level but I have no idea what group it is in?

I checked one, but going to the Group it SHOULD be in, and bingo! So, DT auto-classified it and filed it in the group I would have.

I purposely added an email that had no relationship to anything in the database. I can see that email by clicking on the Home button, but cannot determine “where” it is?

5

Home is the “root” level or “/”. Home contains all of your other folders: Inbox, Trash, etc. To get a folder out of Home, simply move it to another folder.

6

Okay. That makes sense. That’s what I suspected. So, the unclassified item resides at the root level until something is done to put it into a group, or folder?

7

I’ve experienced the same thing and found it confusing. I was concerned that when I closed the database my unfilled (and invisible, at least to me) documents would disappear.

8

OK, then if I assume the document is held at the root level, how do I view documents held here? I can’t click on it, if I click in the pane that has all my folders, I cannot do so without selecting some folder and thereby selecting something other than root.

9

Select a folder at in the root (Home) view of your database.

Now Command-click on that folder, which will unselect it. In Three Panes view, do you now see any documents? If so, you can move them to the Inbox or to another group.

10

There should be a button at the very left edge of your toolbar with a little house on it.

11

and so there is, perfect!

OK, that makes more sense, then.

Given that button, I’m far more comfortable with documents residing at that level. Thanks for the input.

Question: is there a way to specify that all documents imported automatically go to the inbox? I could’ve swore I read documentation that says I can specify that behavior but I’m not seeing it anywhere in preferences.

I guess the one issue I have remaining here is what I perceive to be inconsistent behavior upon importing a document. Sometimes they go to my inbox, sometimes they go to the home level, and I have no idea why the difference. Perhaps there’s a perfectly valid reason and I’m just not aware of it, but to me it seems random.