Separate Folders for External Files Per Project?

[thecorkboard]

Hi all,

First time poster, long time MAXQDA user.

Here's the scenario:

I'm trying to setup a collaborative project where all users will share the same externally located folder in which data will be deposited and accessed by MAXQDA. I also have other non-collaborative projects with external files.

From what I can tell, you can only assign MAXQDA to one external file location. So, once I setup my external file location for the collaborative project, all other MAXQDA files reference that location.

Am I missing some option or workflow to have an individual external file location associated with a single project? Or is this just not possible?

Here's what I also don't understand. When I drag or import files into the document browser, the properties for the individual file show that the file is located in the folder from which I initiated the import—not the external file location.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Version: MAXQDA 2020
System: Mac OS X 10.15 (Catalina)

[Andreas M.]

Hello,

Thank you for your question! Yes, this would be a useful function and we gladly forward it to our feedback team. However, at the moment it is unfortunately not possible to "split" the folder for external documents.
In general, we would advise that everyone has their own copy of the external files in their (local) external folder. This is also best for a stable performance.

For your second question:
When you import an external file, MAXQDA checks two locations/paths:
1) The location of the original import
2) The external folder

Therefore, you might see the original link if the file is still available there.

I hope this helps! If not, or in case of any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us again.

Best regards on behalf of the MAXQDA support team,

Andreas

[thecorkboard]

Hi Andreas,

Thanks for the response. You write:



It sounds like I'm going to have to create a modification of the bundling/unbundling procedure documented at the bottom of this page, especially since not everyone is using the desktop syncing app provided by Google (Drive File Stream).

Working on streamlining this process for future versions of the app, I think, would go a long way to set it even further apart from competitors like Dedoose.

I appreciate the back and forth,

[Aikokul]

Hi,

Thank you for the interesting ideas and feedback - we have forwarded them to our developers. If you want to communicate more ideas about optimizing the shared use of externals, you are welcome to contact us directly via feedback@maxqda.de

Best regards from MAXQDA

Aikokul