I currently use DEVONthink only for PDF files. I am now looking for a way to quickly make web content available offline. Until now, I have been collecting it in GoodLinks, which optionally saves everything offline. However, the search function is not that great, which is why I thought, why not use DT for this?
Now the question is: How can I persuade DT to automatically archive URLs dragged and dropped into a folder instead of simply saving bookmarks? Is this really only possible by converting them afterwards using a command or rule? It would be nice if DT didnāt save the link as a bookmark in the first place, which I then have to delete.
You could use the DT browser plug-in or the sorter, I guess. The āIn & Outā section in the handbook is quite thorough on these things.
However, āweb content offlineā is a very vague concept. Web content may change ā should your offline version change then, too? Or parts of the content may change, think images or scripts ā what is your offline content going to be then?
Thanks for the tip. I donāt like Plug-ins or the Sorter, but if itās the best way, Iāll try it. Iām a drag & drop window guy, so Iāve got to learn new workflows.
Updating the offline content is not neccessary at the moment, but would be great. My main aim is to be able to work offline for some hours/days. In preparation, I would like to collect pages I want to read and research. Think of archiving some support pages from Apple and later then I search for topics like āRebootā or āiCloudā.
Not drag-and-drop, but, my method for saving webpages and articles is: I set up a folder on Dropbox, and index it in DEVONthink. When I am reading an article I want to save in DT, I use the iOS share button to save its link to that folder. A smart rule I created in DT then converts the link to a web archive or whatever. Itās been working well for me.
Thanks for all your help. The smart rule seems to work. But how do I add steps to deal with the resulting PDF to rename or tag them? I would like to remove suffixes from website titles like ā - Apple Support (DE)ā.
Iāve tried āConvert & Continueā, but then I canāt delete the Bookmark.
There is only one active input in a smart rule. Convert & Continue changes the input from the originally matched document to the converted one.
You could begin with a Move to Trash then do a Convert & Continue. After that you can either use a Move or File action then Change Name or change the name before moving it out of the Trash.
Okay, then Iāll try the clipper. Currently I donāt understand how to drag a link from Safari to the Sorter, so that it is saved as PDF. The Browser Extensions does only work when the website is visible. I want to archive URLs while reading, without opening links. I need to collect as much content as possible when I have spare online time.
Iāve seen the services menu, but itās not very comfortable and slower than dragging.
Currently I donāt understand how to drag a link from Safari to the Sorter, so that it is saved as PDF.
You donāt.
The Browser Extensions does only work when the website is visible.
That is the correct behavior.
I want to archive URLs while reading, without opening links.
What you are referring to is certainly unusual, especially as itās unclear where youāre reading, e.g., Apple Support pages and just grabbing links to throw into DEVONthink?
Iāve seen the services menu, but itās not very comfortable and slower than dragging.
There is no service to create a PDF in DEVONthink.
Here is a simple smart rule with an Apply Script action in itā¦
on performSmartRule(theRecords)
tell application id "DNtp"
repeat with theRecord in theRecords
if (record type of theRecord) is bookmark then -- Not required, but a good habit in case a Kind criterion is missing.
with timeout of 3000 seconds -- Give it five minutes to work
set newPDF to create PDF document from (theRecord's URL as string) in (location group of theRecord) with pagination
end timeout
if exists newPDF then
move record theRecord to (trash group of (database of theRecord))
set name of newPDF to ("converted_" & (name of newPDF) as string)
beep 2 -- Just an auditory cue things went well.
else
log message "PDF creation failed." record theRecord
end if
end if
end repeat
end tell
end performSmartRule
Okay, thanks. The Desktop is not able to archive websites, but DT is, so I thought I can switch the default. Other Apps like GoodLinks or Anybox can do this. Maybe DT is not the right tool as the scripting stuff does not work on iOS.
