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Attach DEVONthink folder to Bookends reference

Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:15 pm
by cinepou
Hi,

Is it possible to attach a DEVONthink folder (not a text file) to a Bookends reference?

Here's why: when taking literature notes, I create sequentially numbered individual text files in DEVONthink for each quote/comment/etc. These individual chunks of text are bundled in a parent folder linking back to the corresponding reference in Bookends. I take this piecemeal approach because it allows for more fine-grained tagging and further processing of my notes. If at all possible, I would like to attach the DEVONthink folders containing my literature notes to their respective references in Bookends.

Drag and drop has failed me; might there be another way?

Thank you for your time and efforts!

Re: Attach DEVONthink folder to Bookends reference

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:24 am
by Monopaul
I assume your folder sits in a Devonthink library bundle (as opposed to a folder indexed by Devonthink).

It is not possible to drop the folder in Bookends in that case.

The way I do it is to copy the link to the Devonthink folder (right click --> Copy Item Link) and then add this in the url field. I have no other use for the URL field, so I am fine using it for that purpose. If you need the URL field, you could use one of your unused user fields as a dedicated field for this. Or simply add the link to the Devonthink folder into the Abstract field (or any other field). If you right click into a field with a url (provided it sits in a separate line), the url will be shown at the top of the contextual menu and you can get there by simply clicking it.

Hope this helps.

Re: Attach DEVONthink folder to Bookends reference

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 6:58 am
by cinepou
Thank you, Monopaul. This certainly sounds like a serviceable work-around.

Re: Attach DEVONthink folder to Bookends reference

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 8:46 am
by Jon
You tried to attach a folder by drag and drop and that didn't work? It should. As should Refs -> Attach -> Folder.

Jon
Sonny Software

Re: Attach DEVONthink folder to Bookends reference

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 3:05 pm
by laxei
No, I don't think it works. In DevonThink folders are not real finder folders but more like representations of tags. If you look the files contained in one DevonThink folder often are in different finder folders. DevonThink can parse things together and create a folder when dragging and dropping to for example Desktop, but I don't believe this works with other Apps (at least not with Mail). Dragging the content of the folder should work though.

I'm using the link as suggested by Monopaul.

Re: Attach DEVONthink folder to Bookends reference

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 4:41 pm
by Jon
Bookends will attach all items in a folder (that is, a Finder folder). If you (or DT) can put the notes in a Finder folder, you can attach that folder to a Bookends reference and be able to access all the files in it (one at a time) while viewing that references.

Jon
Sonny Software