a- how to import into a group.
My problem is that when I click on File→ Import→ Folders & Attachments from Notes, my inbox is flooded with 800 apple notes and folders. It’s a mess because the apple notes are mixed with other items in my global inbox.
I would like to find a way to
1- create a DEVONthink Group in the global inbox called Apple Notes Backup 12 Aug 2025 at 09-07
2- import the apple notes directly into that group
b- date added
where do I configure date added so that the date added corresponds to the date when an item is brought into DEVONthink
Time Machine can only backup a sqlite database. Restoring is a blind all or none process which I absolutely do not want. In addition there is not even a guarantee that the restore will work because apple does not guarantee that the sqlite database structure will remain the same between Mac OS updates.
Not here – I get a folder named “Notes” in my global inbox. That’s with DT 4.
Why not create the group, run the import and then move all the notes into the group? Seems feasible to me.
Why? Do you see “date added” values that show something else but the date when the item was added to DT?
And you do restore a note from DT how? I just imported my notes into DT and found a whole bunch that didn’t carry over well – like those containing only a PDF attachment. The title was there, but the attachment was nowhere to be seen. Not what I’d call a “backup.”
Or just abandon Notes. It’s siloed (like Photos is nowadays), the database structure is undocumented, and as you said, whenever a new version of macOS arrives, it’s likely to change.
You make a number of very good points and I wil do some further testing about the notes folder
attachments: a common issue for all variants of Notes backups
Why Notes: I use Bear extensively but am sick of syncing conflicts of complicated technical notes. All my to do lists (which can be elaborate) are in notes.
added value: I was wrong
yes it’s a good compromise.
thank you for the reference and your detailed reply.
A solution that will work for one person will not necessarily work for another, so I offer this in full knowledge that it may not be the answer. However, over the years I have settled on keeping my notes either in DEVONthink or in Obsidian (these days with the Obsidian vault indexed by DEVONthink). I have experimented with keeping To Do lists in Obsidian, and though it works, these days I use NotePlan. The NotePlan folder is also indexed by DEVONthink. Thus far these arrangements have worked pretty well for me. As always, YMMV, and there are pros and cons in all things. But these arrangements mean I can search for most things inside DEVONthink. It makes my life a bit simpler.
NotePlan might seem quite expensive, but I have a subscription to SetApp (https://setapp.com) so I get it free with that (which is not a lot more expensive than NotePlan on its own, and gets you 250 applications).
I keep project/task notes in Devonthink
To Do lists are generated with an Applescript and stored in Devonthink
I occasionally use Apple Notes as a note editor, but not to store notes
When completed, notes are exported in .pdf format, and stored/organized in Devonthink
