Can I use DevonAgent to search files on my computer?

I’m a novice DevonAgentPro user and this is my first post.
I’m wondering if I can apply DevonAgent’s powerful text search tools to files that reside on my computer?
Tks to Community for answers/tutoring!

Welcome @Sherrell

DEVONagent is made for online searching.
You could check out our application DEVONsphere Express which does allow searching local files.

Thanks Bluefrog. What I want is the ability to apply DevonAgent’s boolean and proximity search logic to a folder of, say, PDFs, I have on my computer…
Cheers.

DEVONthink and DEVONsphere Express support the same operators.

Wait. I think I’m going to need my money back here then as it seems this is a huge issue that everyone is dealing with. If Devon Agent was designed as a web research helper; but cannot include results from inside PDF files, that’s a whole lot of intelligence I’m missing out on!

I’m glad I found this thread through trying to learn about how to effectivly use Devon Agent Pro, have been searching high and low for reasons why I am not finding things inside PDF documents and today after some real effort I see I am not alone in this plight.

What I did learn, is if you download the PDF’s your interested in, Devon Sphere is fairly decent at finding at least, which PDF document the search term is in, that said I still have to CTRL + F and re-type in my search term to locate every hit. Again, something I expect Devon Agent to do so it can give me a digest as opposed to me doing the work, which is what seems to be happening here.

Either I am doing it all wrong, or somethings not working.

Yes, I have created a search set with the direct links to the online PDF’s
Yes, I selected objects and documents… still no results.

DEVONagent can search online PDFs (see e.g. “Settings” tab of search window or “Advanced” tab of search sets panel). But of course only if they contain a text layer.

This is odd then, the PDF’s I am looking at absolutely have select-able text inside. I can download the very PDF in question and a search using DevonSphere will find it inside the document on my local computer. I’d say this is proof that what I need to happen, is happening on my local machine using Devon Technology.
So finding a document with my search term in is stage 1, great, devonsphere can do it… but then what I miss out on is all the devon agent pro goodness, filtering, duplicated, digest, map etc…

Which search set or plugin do you use? Did you enable PDFs in the mentioned tabs?

I am trying to study my IFR instrument rating and have a crap ton of documents on Aviation weather, Human Performance and Air law. I have created my search set to not use any plugins and only search the locations that I have added to documentation on the above subjects.
I tried linking my search set using GIST but links are not allowed, a bit archaic but ok.

and have a crap ton of documents

Are you referring to local documents?

Well… my workaround was to download said PDF’s to my machine in order to try and effect a search with any tool, Devon Sphere, Devon Agent, Spotlight, anything.

These documents live online though, and as I say. While DevonSphere will find me WHICH document the search term lives in, it wont do the Devon magic and digest/filter/mind map the results.

As the documents I am interested in are hard coded URI’s in my search set, I would have thought this would have worked without issue.

I will share my .xml search set via gist if I can get link posting permissions

Are you referring to files you’re storing in a cloud account of yours?

No. Publicly available.I’d post a link but :roll_eyes:

Export the search set, ZIP it, and post it here. I increased your user level by one, so you should be able to attach the ZIP.

IFR Advanced.agentSet.zip (1.3 KB)

If I search ‘Improved Obstructions to Vision reporting capability’ I return nothing.
If I go to the PDF online and CTRL + F I find the term and all about it.

The document is found here: https://www.navcanada.ca/EN/media/Publications/AWS-Guide-EN.pdf

This is in my search set, but DevonAgent does not find it.

Did I buy the wrong application? Is this what Devon Think is for?

In the “Sites” tab of the search set please change the mode to Crawl for all items, then it should work.

However, searching certain known online PDFs that way is not the most efficient solution, it makes more sense in this case to download them and use a local solution like DEVONsphere Express or DEVONthink 3.

DEVONagent Pro is great if you want to find websites or PDF documents which you’re not yet aware of.

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Can I trial Devon Think or swap my licence over to this?

A trial is available on our downloads page, you can request a refund by contacting sales - at - devon-technologies.com if desired.

Yes you have misunderstood what DEVONagent is used for.
I will forward your support ticket to Sales for your refund request.