I’m using DT3 to deliver content intended for legacy, telling a story, so to speak. And so I’d like to be able to present the flow of information, much like a book, that integrates text, image, audio, video in a flow. By the way, I’m not proficient in Markup or HTML. I want to be able to see the flow within DT3 so that I can understand how it will be viewed. I’d like input from the DT3 community. Suggestions welcome.
I prefer a wysiwg editor/format; Devonthink supports RTFD and Formatted Note
I use Formatted Note because the underlying code is html (not rtf)
This format addresses text, formatting and images (embedded and rendered inline)
The other types can be represented by clickable links and stored as separate files
The editing features are quite basic
For extended features, I access the underlying html code using an external text editor
1 Like
HTML also supports embedded audio/video. But it is not a Wysiwyg format in my mind.
Thanks for the feedback. I currently use DT3 Rich Text Format for most of my personal notes. I’ll experiment with Formatted and see how I get along. So far, I’ve stayed with the DT3 supplied editors, I may also try an external editor to see how DT3 handles them
Agreed. Years ago I used a WYSIWYG editor for Web pages, but I spent more time with the formatting than I did on generating content, and I never had the stamina to learn HTML.
Willing to share the external text editor you use? Or do you just use Apple’s integrated TextEdit?
Furthermore, there’s no thing as Wysiwyg as such. While it’s trivially possible on paper, you have no chance on the web. Or would you really want a HTML document designed for a 2048 pixel monitor to be displayed 1:1 on a smartphone screen?
Wysiwyg as a concept only makes sense when you have full control over the output. Which screams PDF, Latex and the like.
2 Likes
I use the Textastic editor on both an iPad and Mac
You make very good points, and I really hadn’t thought about my limitations to control rendering on my user’s devices. I wasn’t thinking about scalability and was just concerned with how things appear on my 21" monitor. I’ll have to think about that. I think I’ll just focus on migrating my content into a file directory on my Mac that serves to serve as the container for the database, documents and linkage. I see that @DTLow has share the use of Textastic for the DT3 notes themselves. It sounds like I have some work to do, but I appreciate the guidance from this forum.
Thanks so much - I’ll check it out.
FYI, while I do use DEVONthink’s built in editors, more often I use BBEdit (mac), Textastic (iOS), nano (inside Terminal), Pages (for when I want embedded images), Word, and ByWord (md) all with the files stored in DEVONthink.
That’s a great feature of DEVONthink–one must not be stuck with built-ins (even though it appears a lot of people think so … so old fashioned to think that way!)
1 Like
I think of wysiwyg as the opposite of markdown/html editors where you’re entering code tags
Thanks for sharing your approach. I’m not a programmer. And I’m one of those who has considered myself “stuck” with DT3’s editors. Now, with your suggestion, I’m investigating the potential. It would help me if you could expand on your comment “…all with the files stored in DEVONthink” My first trial follows and I couldn’t figure out a way to keep the Pages file “in DEVONthink” without a messy flow. Perhaps I’m missing a setting.
I opened an existing DT3 RTF note in Pages, added some content and then on closing, Pages File Save wanted to know where to save the file. I didn’t know where to put it so that it would be in DEVONthink. So, I saved it to desktop and then drug the Pages file back into the original DT3 note, creating a link - seems very clumsy.
I then tried dragging the Pages file from my desktop into DT3 as a new note. It came in OK with all graphics visible, but by default DT3 opens it as Read Only. I can however, choose the option to open with Pages, edit the file, close the Pages file and the changes show up in the DT3 viewer. Once again, pretty clumsy, but using this alternative, I can at least see the Pages file content from within DT3.
I guess it’s going to save a Pages file in that case, not an RTF one. Maybe “export” is the way to go. I don’t use RTF, though. With MD, it works exactly as @rmschne
I don’t have Pages in front of me to confirm all this, but I seem to recall that if you open a document that is other than Pages’ format (like the RTF file you opened), Pages converts it to Pages as a new file (still in memory and unsaved) to work on it. That’s why it asked you where to save.
There are many ways to handle this. The easies to explain is to simply save the Pages document to your ~/Desktop folder. Then close the file. Then drag and drop the Pages file into DEVONthink where you want it to be. This is the same as an import. Then from then on to edit the Pages document, use DEVONthink’s “open with…” feature.
2 Likes
I have the Devonthink Inbox as a folder on my desktop, and a favourites in the Finder Sidebar
Instructions at New user questions: In or From DT - #9 by chrk
Screenshot is from my Save dialog
1 Like
Yes, the DEVONthink “inbox” folder is another place to save the Pages file, but I chose not explain that. One of the “many ways” I mentioned. Should @OhioSteve want to explore that useful folder, it’s all in the DEOVNThink Handbook! 
3 Likes
Pages, like Apple Numbers and Keynote, will open someother formats but will convert them internally and expect you to save to their native formats. Microsoft Office apps do this as well as many other apps.
You could always save a reusable Pages file in ~/Library/Application Support/DEVONthink 3/Templates.noindex to be able to create a new Pages file in a database, then open it in Pages from there.
You can use Shift-Command-O to open a document externally. Or you can set Preferences > General > Interface > Double-click opens item externally to be able to double-click the Pages file in DEVONthink and have it open in Pages.
2 Likes
I like the idea of an inbox on my desktop - that should work well for my flow
The idea of a reusable Pages file sounds like a good idea if I end up using it as a standard for handling my info. And I’m going to experiment with opening documents externally. Thanks for the info.