can I link sub-folders from different parent folders?

DEVONthink Tips
1

I’m new here… first couple of days of DTPro 30-day trial.

Can I use “link” (or some similar feature) to flag related subfolders? Is there some other way to do this using classifications-? I need it to be functional, not just for searching purposes.

Perhaps there is a better way, but here is what I am trying to do:

I have correlated data sets, collected different ways, on the same samples.
I’d like to keep the data sets in their original places, grouped by the method of collection, but correlate similar samples in parallel sets of folders.

I’d prefer to avoid creating lots of extra copies of files, since I’ll need to do this a lot, and the files are reasonably big.

Ideally I would like to be able to access these files together from outside DTPro, since I can’t currently get to them inside DTPro with my apps of choice.

2

You can create links to groups in a rich text document. Select a text string, Control-click (right click) and choose the contextual menu option Link To. Choose the target group.

You can use this approach in many ways, e.g. to create lists of related groups or documents that are actively linked within your list.

There is very little overhead in replicating groups or documents – only a few bits rather than the actual file size of the group or document.Remember, of course, that if one changes any instance of replicated groups or documents, all instances are changed.

So DT Pro allows you to present the same data in various ways using replicants, with little overhead in memory/disk storage.

3

Hi Bill,

Thanks for responding, but it seems like you didn’t read what I wrote, otherwise I just don’t understand your answer.

I’m not asking about linking things within text files. At least, I don’t think that’s what I’m asking.

I’m asking about linking sub-groups. The icons look like folders in DT. Is there some way to treat a list of groups as a text file? is that what you mean? Or am I just asking for something that DT can’t do?

4

I think I did read your request. :slight_smile:

You can’t directly link one group to another.

But within a rich text document you can create a clickable hyperlink to a group. So you can create a list of groups, each accessible via a hyperlink, that represent some sort of association. Isn’t that what you are trying to do, i.e. represent an association?

For example, in a rich text file I can compile a list of groups related to a specific project, and using “Link To” each member of that list can be accessed. If I wish, using the “List” capabilities in a rich text file, I can even represent the hierarchy of the list in outline style. Moreover, I can add a note about the relationships between groups/subgroups that I’m representing. Such notes often save me from wondering what the heck I was thinking. :slight_smile:

Logically, this seems to do what you were asking about. But it’s logically much more powerful, as you are not limited to one-to-one correspondences. Using this technique, a particular subgroup or document can have multiple relationships, if that’s useful to you.

I often do this kind of thing when I’m working on a project. It lets me document the relationships of material that I’m using for the project, while at the same time providing quick access to the groups and documents. I can identify useful groups/documents from anywhere within my database, that are related to my project interests.

Tip: From a view, you can select multiple groups, press Command-C to copy to the clipboard, then paste the clipboard into a plain text document. Now you have a list of the group names. If you wish to list all or selected documents contained in a group, use the same procedure. When finished, select Format > Make Rich Text, so that you can add hyperlinks. (I don’t use Wiki links much, but you’ll find that turning on Wiki links will create automatic links from the group or document names.)

5

Thanks, the detailed instructions make that sound like an easy and a useful solution I’ll definitely try.

I like the idea of multiple connections, but I’m not sure if I’ll like the list format for doing that.

I’ve been using FreeMind for brainstorming… which I think lets you add hyperlinks though I’ve never done that… But I always wished I had something that was a little easier to look at, since FreeMind doesn’t let you reposition the branches around the main hub.

I thought I read something on here from someone who uses a different mind mapping program, but now I can’t remember which one or whether it’s currently compatible with DT. Do you? Ideally that would be the best solution for me.