"Best Alternative" view for OPML

[Januz]

OPML files are recognized by DT as XML files and displayed as plain text.

I would really like to have them recognized as OPML files and to have an “Best Alternative” view as for Markdown files where one could view them either as plain text or as formatted outline.

Would that be possible?

[korm]

This is an interesting request. A few things to note about OPML, generally, and OPML and DEVONthink

1. The OPML “standard” is about as loose a standard as it can be and still be called a standard. I’ve never seen two OPML-aware applications produce the same formatted OPML files. As a result, every application displays the content of an OPML file as it sees fit. So – if you want to preview an OPML file in DEVONthink, how would you want it to look? Like OmniOutliner would render it? Like a mind mapping program would render it? Like MultiMarkdown Composer would render it? Like Tinderbox would render it? Something else?
2. Imported OPML files are exploded by DEVONthink into groups and notes – so a “preview” wouldn’t be possible.

[Januz]

The OPML “standard” is about as loose a standard as it can be and still be called a standard. I’ve never seen two OPML-aware applications produce the same formatted OPML files. As a result, every application displays the content of an OPML file as it sees fit. So – if you want to preview an OPML file in DEVONthink, how would you want it to look? Like OmniOutliner would render it? Like a mind mapping program would render it? Like MultiMarkdown Composer would render it? Like Tinderbox would render it? Something else?

I personally would like for it to be rendered as an outline, so like OmniOutliner maybe.

Imported OPML files are exploded by DEVONthink into groups and notes – so a “preview” wouldn’t be possible.

Ah, I did not know that. I only index OPML files, so this would not be a problem for me. But it would definitively be better to have a unified solution. Can one choose whether one wants them to be imported as groups or as an XML file?

[korm]

@Januz

Can one choose whether one wants them to be imported as groups or as an XML file?

No.

The best preview for an outline is for OmniOutliner .003 files (versions 3 or 4). I’ve never seen a usable OPML file preview. The point of OPML is to transfer data from one application to another. Using XML, as you’ve noticed. So, the “best alternative” view for any OPML file is to open it in an editor application that imports OPML so that it can be saved later in that application’s native format.